There is a new beta update for WhatsApp. This update comes with version number v2.20.203.3. According to reports, this update comes with a couple of new and interesting features. First off, the update brings the ability to join missed calls. Also, WhatsApp is testing the biometrics aspect of the app, it is trying to add the face unlock function.
Presently, if there is a group call and you missed the call, you will not be able to join the call except someone in the group adds you. Well, it seems this will not be the case soon. The new beta wants to make it possible for users to join the call. As soon as you see that there is a group miss call, you can join the call if the call is still on. Simply open WhatsApp and you will be given a screen prompt to join the call.
With the increase in smartphones that support face unlock, it is now important for WhatsApp to make some changes. The company seeks to change the fingerprint lock to a Biometric lock. However, this does not mean that the fingerprint option will no longer be available. According to the beta, WhatsApp will enable the ability to choose any biometric authentication that is available on the smartphone.
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Will WhatsApp face unlock support all smartphones?
Presently, these features are in testing and should roll out globally soon. As of now, we can confirm that this update is coming. What we can not say is whether it will be available for all smartphones with the face unlock feature. We all know that the quality of face unlock for different manufacturers differs. While some are secured enough as authentification for financial transactions, others are not. We do not know if the WhatsApp face unlock will shave a preferred system.
In an interview with Express.co.uk, Jake Moore, Cybersecurity Specialist at ESET, said “Any extra security layer will add protection to an account, but if a passcode has to be entered each time it can come at the cost of an inconvenience to the user. However, biometrics have sped up the process, making entering apps via facial recognition or fingerprints quick and easy to use.
“Adding security layers to such as biometrics to apps within a device can be a very secure way of making it harder for malicious actors to enter more personal locations of a phone, especially for those who may be using easy-to-guess passcodes, such as a birth date or similar. I would advise people not to use basic passcodes, and always make sure their phone locks immediately after use.”
