WhatsApp, the infinitely popular messaging app that services millions of users each day, is looking to offer support for Live Photos whether you own an iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus or iPhone SE or not. It’s believed that the company is testing the new feature in WhatsApp’s newest beta release.
Better to have an iPhone 6 than not
For those using the aforementioned line o Apple’s iPhone 6 models, a live photo can be immediately shared by users through the WhatsApp messaging platform. However, for those using other smartphones, it’s thought that WhatsApp is attempting to turn the recently taken Live Photo into an animated GIF that users can then share via WhatsApp.
The company declined to comment on when this feature will be made available if it ever is tackled by the company. Presently, Live Photos sent through the WhatsApp platform are simply static images and there are surely users that would love to see support for Live Photos.
WhatsApp, with its new beta, is also interested in offering more features for those that like to record video for use with the messaging app. This includes allowing users to zoom in when video is shot. The company, ahead of the Olympics being held in Rio this summer, has released a new set of Olympics based emoji.
WhatsApp petition thrown out of the Indian Supreme Court
The petition, filed by RTI activist Sudhir Yadav, asked the Supreme Court to ban the WhatsApp messenger for offering end-to-end encryption which he believes violates the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Information Technology Act, 2000. WhatsApp was just one of many messaging services that the petitioner looked to have shut down.
However, the petition failed as the apex court bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice AM Khanwilkar had no interest in hearing the case but instead told the petitioner to register his complaints over end-to-end encryption (that he believes is benefiting criminals and terrorists) with the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).
The victory today will be a relief to Snapchat, Line, Viber, Hike and others that offering such robust encryption.
“Even if WhatsApp was asked to break through an individual’s message to hand over the data to the government, it too would fail as it does not have the decryption keys either,” the petitioner said.
Apple famously rejected calls from the FBI earlier this year to unlock the iPhone of one of the San Bernandino shooters. The FBI ultimately paid an unnamed security company to unlock the phone and after this was successfully accomplished the FBI dropped its legal proceedings against the iPhone maker.
There will always be some contentious arguments over users’ privacy and national security that aren’t expected to go away anytime soon.
