Popular messaging app WhatsApp got a neat new update for Android, adding a number of cool features such as formatting and others, preparing the app for Android N.
Formatting means that you can now write in bold, italics or strikethrough, and it's fairly simple to do so. No complicated settings, no additional options to enable, no hassle — you just need the latest version of the app. To format text, all you need to do is surround the words you want with special characters.
Let's take the word "hello" as an example. To write it in bold, simply type *hello* and the word will be bold. Write _hello_ for italics, or ~ hello~ for strikethrough. As simple as that. You can now format your messages with ease, adding more emphasis whenever necessary.
Aside from the new formatting features, the update also brings along a number of other treats. For instance, you will now be able to respond to a message straight from the notification panel, thanks to Quick Reply. Other messaging apps such as Viber and Hangouts have been offering Quick Reply options for a good while now, and WhatsApp is finally getting into the game.
The latest update also brings a better way for users to start, mute, archive and delete multiple chats quickly and easily. To do so, just tap and hold a chat, then select what you'd like to do with it.
A new Quick Camera button also appears in every chat now, enabling users not only to snap a picture right there but also choose from their camera roll images at a glance, as they're now displayed near the capture button.
Moreover, you can now add colors to each of your chats, so you can easily differentiate them.
The update is already available for download from Google Play, so you can manually download the update from there if you haven't got it already. As for compatibility, it requires Android 2.1 or newer, so it should work with the vast majority of Android handsets currently on the market.
If you already got the update, try out the new features and drop by our comment section below to tell us what you think of it.
WhatsApp video calling is also expected to land soon, and a native desktop client for Windows and OS X could be in the works as well.
