WhatsApp has some new tricks up its sleeve, but they're not exactly new — they're basically Snapchat's creative tools, allowing users to write, draw or put emojis on images and videos.
Snapchat's immense popularity has temped many rivals to copy its features, from the ephemeral messaging scheme to creative tools, Snapchat Stories and more.
Not long after Instagram Stories launched as a clone of Snapchat Stories, Facebook started testing a Snapchat-like Messenger Day, and now WhatsApp brings Snapchat's creative tools to its own app.
With the latest update, WhatsApp users will be able to add doodles, emojis and overlaid texts in multiple fonts and colors to their WhatsApp photos or videos. This means that users will be able to add captions, make photos funnier or more expressive, highlight certain scenes and so on.
Snapchat made this enhanced visual communication popular, and it seems to be catching on.
"When you capture a new photo or video or share one that's already on your phone, you'll automatically see the new editing tools," says WhatsApp. "Whether you're drawing a big red heart to show how much you miss someone or adding your favorite emoji - sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. Try adding text too, and change the color and font style."
Facebook's WhatsApp doesn't stop here, however. It also borrowed Snapchat's front-facing flash feature, which blinks the smartphone's screen white to illuminate the user's face when they're taking a selfie. This allows for better selfies in low-light conditions without requiring an actual flash or some other preparations.
Moreover, the latest WhatsApp update also brings one-finger zoom camera control, another feature borrowed from Snapchat. Before capturing a photo or a video, users can drag one finger up and down the screen to easily zoom in and out. Instagram also added one-finger zoom back in August.
While WhatsApp's update may look like a blatant clone of Snapchat, it should still boost the app's appeal and perhaps the number of users as well. Snapchat has roughly 150 million daily users and is widely popular in the United States and Canada, but WhatsApp has a far larger user base with more than 1 billion monthly active users globally.
WhatsApp is popular in all parts of the world, and these new features could be a first in many areas that Snapchat is yet to conquer, so many users may see this as a great improvement rather than a blatant clone of the Snapchat creative tools.
According to WhatsApp, the latest update started rolling out to Android users on Monday and will hit iOS "soon." If you already got it, drop by our comment section below and tell us what you think of it.
