Since some group chats are filled with a dozen or so of our friends, it can be extremely difficult — and annoying — to keep up with the conversation when everyone is talking about something you have no interest in. However, even if you decide to mute the conversation, you may suffer from FOMO if someone spills interesting news or something relevant to your own existence.
Now, WhatsApp is making sure that its users know exactly when it's time to redirect their attention to a particular group chat with its new mentions feature.
Mentions for group chats in the messaging app could either be a blessing or a curse. On one hand, users can now directly address and single out a user who is in a group chat. This makes it easier to know when someone is specifically talking to you or when it's time to open the app again and see what's going on. However, it could also mean that the annoying friend you have can also single you out in a conversation, even if you have the conversation on mute. Sorry, it now looks like you are forced to respond.
The new mentions feature works just like how tagging someone on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram works, by using the "@" symbol followed by the name of that user. Start by entering in some of the letters, and WhatsApp will help bring up that person faster.
That contact will then be hyperlinked in the text box so that whatever you write will be directed for that user or users. Multiple people can be tagged in a single message, and the user can even use the mention tool for those people that are in group chat that aren't saved to your address book.
Anyone mentioned will then be notified about the message regardless of whether or not they muted the conversation.
This could be extremely beneficial now that WhatsApp allows 256 users to be able to participate in a single group chat. That's a whole lot of ignoring and missing messages potentially going on.
This mention feature follows the ability to quote messages in group chat on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp's mention feature began rolling out quietly for both iOS and Android versions of the app. It does not yet work on the desktop versions of the app.
Other new features that will be added to the popular messaging app include GIF support, a two-factor authentication tool for added security and the highly-anticipated Video Call function.
Source: Morad Stern | Twitter
