If you’re a coder, you’re familiar with the struggles of sharing code digitally. Depending on the platform, the code might get messed up, or sometimes you can’t share it digitally at all. Now, several instant messaging services are starting to include features for sending code. Meta has recently upgraded WhatsApp for iOS, introducing support for text formatting, and it seems like Android users might be getting it soon too.
WABetaInfo pointed out that text formatting has appeared in the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.24.2.9 update. Initially, this feature was rolled out for WhatsApp beta on iOS with version 23.21.1.75, but Android users were left waiting. This feature allows you to format your message text using three tools.
You can use a code block to emphasize a particular part of your text, and a quote block comes in handy when responding to a specific section of a previous message. Plus, lists can be used to structure your text using asterisks, dashes, or numbers. Even though this new feature is a boon for coders, it’s not limited to them—anyone can utilize text formatting to tweak their messages.
WhatsApp isn’t the only messaging app getting into text formatting lately. Signal, in particular, brought in similar features in 2023, but with less emphasis on keeping code intact and creating lists. Instead, Signal introduced features like italics and bolding, offering users more ways to express themselves—formatting choices that WhatsApp had introduced back in 2017. At that time, Signal also introduced a feature to obscure text, which can be handy for those who want to keep information private in a group chat.
Even though this feature is freshly introduced in WhatsApp, Meta had previously shown an interest in experimenting with more advanced text formatting choices. Code block and quote block support were discovered in WhatsApp’s hidden code, but it wasn’t clear if Meta intended to bring lists to WhatsApp too. In the latest beta version, WhatsApp is now giving some beta testers access to this functionality, including lists, which might hint at a broader rollout to the beta channel in the upcoming weeks.
Whether you’re a coding enthusiast or just looking for more ways to spice up your messages, Meta is ensuring that WhatsApp doesn’t limit you. This is not just setting the standard for WhatsApp but also putting the pressure on other messaging services. Even if your current go-to messaging app lacks many formatting options, don’t be shocked if they start showing up down the road. In the era of fierce competition, it’s the strides made by Big Tech giants that keep shaping the trends.
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