Another Snapchat-inspired feature, ‘Status’ under testing at WhatsApp

Facebook-owned WhatsApp is testing another feature, which not-so-surprisingly is Snapchat-inspired. After remodeling Snapchat's Stories into Instagram, WhatsApp is also getting ready to integrate Stories in its messaging service, but under the label of 'Status'.

Providing a new tab between, 'Chats' and 'Calls', 'Status' offers a window to post photos or videos which will be visible only for 24 hours. More than half of the millennials are used to this feature, thanks to Snapchat Stories and Instagram’s version of the same.

The new feature also provides a range of editing options - doodle over the photos, add stickers or a caption.

With the addition of ‘Status’ feature, Facebook just wants to further push it's 'prioritize video content' strategy. During Facebook’s third quarter, 2016 earnings call earlier this week, Mark Zuckerberg said, “There are two broad sets of improvements that I think we need to make to put video first across our whole family. One is to the capture and sharing tools that we offer. This is a big part of the product experience that we want to deliver.”

Currently, WhatsApp's new Status feature is available only to registered public beta testers of the app who are using a rooted Android or iOS device.

If you wish to be part of beta testing, you can register yourself as a tester here.