For several years a small group of engineers at WhatsApp have been trying to develop a feature allowing users to exchange files without an internet connection. This option, which looks likelike two drops of water to AirDrop, has just been tested by the instant messaging service in its Android version.
As the specialized information site WABetaInfo has just noted, the latest beta version of the application on iPhone seems to contain this functionality.Called “Nearby Share”, this option should allow content to be exchanged between two physically close users. Among the files that are supported by the functionality, WhatsApp announces that it allows the transfer of photos, videos or documents.
Still according to information from WABetaInfo, this data is shared with people nearby with an end-to-end encrypted connection. This is already the operation used byWhatsAppfor the equivalent of this option on Android smartphones.
A specificity for iPhones
While the functionality, already present on Android, allows you to “scan” your environment to find nearby devices, this will not be the case on iPhones. Due to Apple's security and privacy regulations, WhatsApp had to find another way to connect two devices. You will need to scan a QR code to share files with a third party.
Available in the internal beta version of the application, the functionality could arrive in the coming weeks for the general public. It will be interesting to see how it will be received by iPhone owners who already have a high-performance equivalent with AirDrop. Will the WhatsApp option manage to overshadow this iconic iPhone feature?
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By : Keleops AG
