WhatsApp rolling out new feature to track recent online contacts

Meta-owned WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature to list recent online contacts, WABetaInfo reported on Tuesday.

The online platform, that tracks updates on popular messaging service, revealed that the feature to list recent online contacts is available to some beta testers that install the latest updates of WhatsApp beta for Android from the Google Play Store.

The new feature would be available for more users over the coming weeks, it added.

A new section to list recent online contacts is available within the contacts list for some beta testers. While this feature doesn’t provide a comprehensive online list of all contacts, it effectively simulates such functionality by displaying a limited number of recent active contacts, particularly when attempting to select contacts to place a call with.

Despite only displaying a subset of contacts, this section still provides users with valuable insights into who among their contacts is currently online or has been active recently to help them determine who might be available for a call.

This feature adds a layer of convenience to the messaging experience by eliminating the need for users to manually check the activity status of multiple contacts.

By prompting users to connect with contacts who have been active, WhatsApp also facilitates enhanced and more timely communication to reach out to those who are currently available, specially for initiating a new call, optimising their communication experience.