WhatsApp introduced several new features last year to improve communication between users. The Facebook-owned messaging platform is working on some new features to bring to the users including the much awaited dark mode, which even Google is expected to add system-wide along with the Android Q. According to WABetaInfo, a fan site that tests the upcoming WhatsApp features to iOS, Windows and Android took to Twitter to announce that WhatsApp is working making the messaging platform secure than ever before as the messaging app is all prepping to bring a fingerprint authentication feature.
The fingerprint authentication feature, as the name suggests, will protect the user’s data from being revealed to others. Basically, the fingerprint authentication feature will keep the user's data safe and will refrain others to get access to the chats between you and your friend. The fingerprint authentication feature is said to be in the testing stage and will be rolled out very soon.
All About Fingerprint Authentication Feature
As the fingerprint authentication feature is an important feature to keep user data safe, this will most possibly come to all users in India across Android, iOS and Windows. "After working to implement Face ID and Touch ID features on iOS (that aren't available yet for development reasons), WhatsApp has finally started to work on the Authentication feature on Android, using your Fingerprint!" WABetaInfo noted in their post on Tuesday.
With the fingerprint authentication coming to WhatsApp, users will basically need to use their fingerprint to open the app. This means only the phones with a fingerprint sensor – physical or in-display – will be able to get to use the feature. This otherwise means that Apple iPhone users – including the newer ones iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR – will not able to use this feature.
WhatsApp Still Testing Fingerprint Authentication Feature
The fingerprint authentication feature is still said to be in the testing stage which means the beta users are probably using the feature already. WhatsApp usually follows the same process before rolling out any feature officially. This hints at the fact that the fingerprint authentication feature is coming to all WhatsApp users very soon. The report suggests that the users will be able to enable this feature by heading to the Settings tab > then to Account > and finally to Privacy option.
In the post, WABetaInfo also noted, “The user will need to authenticate his identity in order to open WhatsApp (from the app icon, from the notification or from external pickers). It will protect the entire app, so it's not used to lock specific conversations.”
