{"id":3285,"date":"2017-02-03T18:06:35","date_gmt":"2017-02-03T18:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rsoftsolution.com\/blog\/whatsapp-tests-real-time-location-sharing-in-its-app.html"},"modified":"2017-02-03T18:06:35","modified_gmt":"2017-02-03T18:06:35","slug":"whatsapp-tests-real-time-location-sharing-in-its-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rbsitsoftwaresolution.in\/blog\/whatsapp-tests-real-time-location-sharing-in-its-app.html","title":{"rendered":"WhatsApp tests real-time location sharing in its app"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

Facebook may be distancing itself from location-sharing<\/a> between friends in its own app, but Facebook-owned WhatsApp appears to\u00a0moving in\u00a0this direction. A new feature spotted in the beta version of the popular mobile messaging software shows that WhatsApp has developed a real-time location-tracking option that could be used among the app\u2019s\u00a0friends.<\/p>\n

The addition was spotted this week via Fortune<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0the Twitter account @WABetaInfo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The new feature is called\u00a0\u201cLive Location Tracking\u201d in the beta software, and is currently found\u00a0in Android (ver. 1.16.399) and iOS (ver. 2.17.3.28). At present, the way it works is that it allows a user to turn on live location tracking for a period of time they control. The app offers one, two and five minute options. During this time, select recipients would be able to follow your exact location in the app.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also another option, \u201cEnabled Indefinitely,\u201d that can be switched\u00a0on.<\/p>\n

The feature would make sense for times when you\u2019re trying to meetup up with a friend, or a group of friends, in a crowded location. Or, it could be used among family members as an alternative to a paid family locator service.<\/p>\n

\n

2.17.3.28 iOS | 2.16.399+ Android: Live Location feature, that tracks the live location of other group participants (DISABLED BY DEFAULT). pic.twitter.com\/pYEXT1nxyR<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) January 26, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

The implementation of the option has also been designed in a way that would limit users\u2019\u00a0privacy concerns over the matter. It appears the option is switched off by default, as it should be, and WhatsApp users\u00a0are able to control how long the sharing continues.<\/p>\n

Location sharing like this is already available on iMessage, through the \u201cShare My Location\u201d setting. However, iMessage offers slightly different options. You can share for an hour, through the end of the day, or indefinitely.<\/p>\n

While not all beta features will necessarily launch to the public, the fact that Location Sharing is in testing\u00a0across platforms is a positive sign that WhatsApp is moving forward with the setting.<\/p>\n

The move is notable given the increased privacy concerns around the mobile messenger as of late, following the uproar<\/a> over a misreported news story that implied the app had a backdoor in its software. That\u2019s not the case. The company made a design decision regarding security keys that\u2019s more of a tradeoff, or, at worst, a vulnerability. It does not offer a backdoor to governments. WhatsApp also went\u00a0on record to say that it would fight any government request to create a backdoor.<\/p>\n

The problem with a story like this is that once word gets out \u2013 even if untrue \u2013 users may be hesitant to adopt a new feature like location-sharing because they\u2019re now confused about the nature of WhatsApp\u2019s privacy.<\/p>\n

The move also comes at a time when Facebook has shut off <\/a>its own exact location-sharing option through Nearby Friends, which worked similarly to the WhatsApp option. That is, you could choose to either\u00a0temporarily or permanently share your constant exact location\u00a0on a map with specific friends. \u00a0Now, Facebook users\u00a0can only opt in to have your approximate distance from friends and current neighborhood shared.<\/p>\n

The earlier implementation had made the social network feel a little creepy, especially if you forgot to turn permanent sharing off. That\u2019s why it\u2019s a little odd to see the same sort of precise location-sharing now arriving in Facebook-owned WhatsApp. But perhaps there\u2019s a better sense of privacy in an app that\u2019s designed more as a closed-door SMS replacement, rather than a larger, social network?<\/p>\n

The feature is one of several new additions WhatsApp is testing. Also in the works is the ability to delete and edit sent\u00a0messages that are still unread, the ability to reply to users\u2019 statuses, and shake your phone to report bugs and problems to the WhatsApp support team.<\/p>\n

WhatsApp declined to comment on location sharing, saying only: \u201cWe do not comment on future product releases.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Article source: http:\/\/feedproxy.google.com\/~r\/techcrunch\/social\/~3\/yeggMQCMvxs\/<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Facebook may be distancing itself from location-sharing between friends in its own app, but Facebook-owned WhatsApp appears to\u00a0moving in\u00a0this direction. A new feature spotted in the beta version of the <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[10,7,14,15,6,12,11],"class_list":["post-3285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-update","tag-computer-news","tag-downloads","tag-microsoft-download-news","tag-networking-updates","tag-technology-update","tag-wordpress-plugin-download","tag-wordpress-theme-download"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t