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WhatsApp follows Apple in getting more creative with messages – photo & video editing will arrive in update

Do you use WhatsApp? It’s one of the most popular messaging apps out there, allowing users to make calls and send messages, photos and videos to their contacts over cellular data or Wi-Fi. And it’s just got a pretty big update.

Announced on WhatsApp’s blog, the update sees the app following Apple in making its messaging app far more interactive, colorful, and playful. In this new release, which is currently rolling out on Android, with iOS coming very soon, users can now customize and enhance photos and videos.

This includes tools for writing and drawing on media, as well as adding emojis – a concept very similar to iOS 10’s iMessages, which now allow you to send stickers and icons to people.

Here’s the update information from WhatsApp’s blog:

“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. 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.”

Other updates include video zooming, and double tapping the screen to quickly switch between front and rear facing cameras.

WhatsApp is free on the App Store and if you haven’t used it before, give it a go – it’s easy to set up and won’t count against your SMS allowance. Even if you’ve ample texts, it’s a useful tool for making long distance phone calls, and sending images and videos to Android devices over Wi-Fi or cellular, avoiding hefty MMS charges. You’ll also likely see many of your contacts already use it.

The iOS update will be available soon, so if you’ve automatic updates turned on, you’ll receive the new feature as soon as they hit iOS.

In the meantime, catch up with Apple’s iOS 10 Messages update in our guide to all the changes to the Messages app in iOS 10.