WhatsApp, one of the most used messaging services in Europe and parts of Asia, is about to close a major flaw. As spotted by the sleuths over on WABetainfo, the company is planning an update that will allow the use of a secondary device — including another phone or tablet. Currently, WhatsApp only allows phone users to link their account via its web or desktop clients.
The new feature is dubbed companion mode. Once it rolls out, you’ll have a workflow that’s quite similar to setting up WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp on the desktop. Rather than entering a number, you’ll be able to scan a QR code with your main phone to log in to your existing WhatsApp account.
Once this is done, all your chat history will be synced over and you’ll be able to chat with your contacts on both phones. As with WhatsApp Web, companion mode is limited to four devices — with a total of five permitted to be linked to a single account. WhatsApp is still currently testing this feature and has yet to roll it out officially.
WhatsApp supporting multiple devices will bring it on par with other services like Apple’s iMessage, Telegram, and even Meta’s own Messenger service. For people who have to use multiple devices, perhaps for work or travel, this feature will be especially useful.
WhatsApp has also implemented several user-facing features over the past year, including recently expanding the size of group chats to include 1,024 members and a new feature called Communities. Today, the company implemented a feature that would let you message yourself as you can on Slack and Teams.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.