WhatsApp status updates are taking a page out of Instagram's playbook

Key Takeaways

• WhatsApp's Status updates are constantly gaining new features, but they're mostly borrowed from other platforms like Instagram.
• A new music feature for Status Updates is in the works, allowing users to add songs to their images or video Status.
• It remains uncertain whether WhatsApp's music feature will offer options like duration setting, song scrubbing, or lyrics display like Instagram does.

Following in the footsteps of Instagram and Snapchat, WhatsApp introduced story-like Status Updates to the messaging platform back in 2017. Seven years later, Status updates on WhatsApp are constantly gaining new bells and whistles — but they're mostly repurposed features ripped straight off of other platforms, including WhatsApp's sister social media network, Instagram.

The feature recently gained likes and private mentions, alongside a privacy feature that allows users to choose if they want to share updates with all contacts or selected ones before hitting send.

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WhatsApp is adding another layer of privacy for Status updates

A new privacy menu will appear before posting an update

Now, again, borrowing a page right out of Instagram's playbook, WhatsApp seems to be working on adding music support for its Status Updates. The development was first highlighted by WABetaInfo, suggesting that WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.24.22.11, which is available through the Google Play Beta Program, offers hints at the feature being in the works.

Considering Meta already holds an agreement with the Universal Music Group, extending functionality already available within Instagram shouldn't be a biggie for the tech giant. Similar to Instagram, the feature should allow users to add music of their choice over image or video Status Update, in turn making them more expressive, personalized, and fun.

Here's how the feature will likely function

1. Add an image or video to the Add Status screen.
2. A music button will appear in the drawing editor. If WhatsApp matches Instagram, the icon will be depicted by a music note.
3. Tap on the music note icon and search for a song of your choice.
4. Add the song to your status update.

It is currently unclear if the feature on WhatsApp will let users set a clip duration, if it will let you scrub through the song to find the best parts of it, and if it will let users display their song's lyrics overlaid on the Status Updates. For reference, Instagram does all of that. Considering how well stories with music do on the latter, it is likely, if not at once, then one-by-one, that all the same functionality will make its way to WhatsApp Status Update.

The feature is still under development, but it doesn't look like it will be under wraps for too long.