WhatsApp to soon enable file sharing without internet in upcoming update: Report

livemint.com:

Android beta version 2.24.9.22 (courtesy of WABetaInfo), reveals that users could share various types of files, such as photos and documents, with nearby WhatsApp users via a local network, without using cellular data or an internet connection. To enable this feature, users must opt in to be discoverable to nearby users. However, they can revoke this permission at any time, ensuring user control over their visibility.

Moreover, WhatsApp assures users that file sharing through this method will be end-to-end encrypted, maintaining the same level of security that WhatsApp messages are known for. Another feature in development is the ability to add notes to contacts. Screenshots from the Android beta version 2.24.9.17 show a new field on the contact sheet for users to add personal notes about their contacts.

These notes are visible only to the user who created them and will not be shared with the contacts themselves. This function is expected to be available on both the mobile app and WhatsApp Web. These features are currently in beta testing, and there is no official word on their release date.

However, if user feedback during testing is favorable, these features could soon become part of a WhatsApp update. Earlier reports indicated that WhatsApp might introduce a new feature designed to enhance user interaction. This upcoming feature, identified during beta testing, aims to highlight recent online contacts, allowing users to easily start conversations with people they have interacted with recently.