WhatsApp for Android is currently working on a new privacy-related feature that will allow users to manage the syncing of their contacts. This feature will add extra functionality to the multi-account feature, enabling users to use two WhatsApp accounts on the same device without the need for parallel apps.
The new contact syncing feature will give users the option to choose how they want to sync their address book contacts when using WhatsApp on different devices. This feature was recently spotted on WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.24.18.14. Once rolled out, users will have the ability to select which contacts they want to sync to their phone for each account.
According to screenshots shared by the feature tracker, the feature will come with a new user interface and a description that reads, “Keep your contacts separate for each account”. Apart from contact syncing management, the feature will also allow users to manage their WhatsApp contacts from linked devices.
It is important to note that the new contact syncing feature is still in development and is not yet available to beta testers registered via the Google Play Beta program. However, it is likely to be introduced in a future update of WhatsApp for Android. Keep in mind that not all features being worked on by WhatsApp make it to the public version of the app.
In addition to the contact syncing feature, WhatsApp for Android is also testing another feature that will enable users to clear their unread message count by marking all received messages as ‘read’. This option is expected to appear in the overflow menu on the top-right corner of the screen. The messaging platform is also rumored to be working on a similar ‘mark read’ feature for the iOS version of the app, maintaining feature parity across both iOS and Android platforms.
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