WhatsApp looks to be changing the way people appear in group chats, moving their names to the front and moving their phone numbers further down the pecking order.
TheWhatsAppchange is now live in the latest beta version of the app that’s available for download via TestFlight. And while it isn’t going to be a huge change for many, it’s a tweak that will make the world of difference for people who regularly find themselves group chats with people who aren’t in their contacts.
The WhatsApp beta watchers atWABetaInfowere the first to spot the change, adding that unknown people’s “push name” now appear in the group chat list instead of their phone number. A “push name” is the name that people give WhatsApp when setting up their account, and is usually their actual name or, at least, something more recognisable than a string of digits making up a phone number.
“As you can see in this screenshot, the push name now appears within the chat list instead of the phone number every time you get a message from an unknown group member,” the report explains. “In our opinion, this feature makes it easier for the recipient to understand who the unknown contact is without having to save the number as a new contact.”
People who still want to be able to see the phone number associated with a group member can still find it, however. The number will be displayed when the chat is opened, ready and waiting.
This new feature is only available to those who are running the latest WhatsApp beta of course, but it’s likely only a matter of time before it’s rolled out to everyone via the App Store and Google Play Store versions of the app. Don’t panic if you’re on the beta and aren’t yet seeing this change, WABetaInfo says that it’s rolling out to more people in the coming days.
