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Can Meta please stop copy-pasting Instagram features to Whatsapp?

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Varsha Vats
Varsha VatsMay 16, 2022 | 17:15

Can Meta please stop copy-pasting Instagram features to Whatsapp?

You know how one person does the group project and everyone else just copies it? Engineers at Instagram must be feeling the same way.

Every time Whatsapp introduces a new feature, we end up saying, “Oh this is how we used to do on Instagram/Facebook.” Looks like these Meta-owned platforms are using Ctrl+C followed by Ctrl+V quite often.

Whatsapp is a messaging app used for both professional and personal purposes but now it has become wannabe Instagram or Facebook. Whatsapp was a messaging app and it should have remained the same.

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Today, Whatsapp is being used for anything and everything other than just messaging. We see wedding pictures of relatives of relatives, a new phone bought by the grocer uncle and whatnot on Whatsapp status.

In 2016, 'stories' (Snapchat’s clone) were introduced on Instagram. Then stories were copied and pasted to Whatsapp as 'status' in 2017. As a result, the pictures we've already seen on Instagram feed, Instagram stories, Facebook and Snapchat are now once more visible on Whatsapp status. 

As this copy-paste game continues at the Meta headquarters, we see not-so-new updates on Whatsapp. Some of them are life-savers like deleting messages. But others have made it hard to distinguish between Whatsapp and Instagram. With time, all the Meta apps, especially Instagram and Whatsapp have started looking the same and offer the same user experience.

But we don’t want this to happen more often in the future. Therefore, here’s a list of Instagram features that were not required on Whatsapp and others that should be kept a thousand miles away from Whatsapp.

INSTAGRAM FEATURES WE DON’T WANT ON WHATSAPP

1. Message reactions

Users are not really happy with this recently introduced Instagram feature on Whatsapp. Now you can react to messages on Whatsapp just like on Instagram. Plus, you can react to your own messages. (Do you laugh at your own jokes? If so you know something is wrong)

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On Instagram, we share posts, memes and stories in chat with other users. A reaction button there makes sense. But on a messaging app, it does not. Seems like, the development team just wanted to finish the assignment anyhow.

Since we have this feature on Whatsapp now, at least allow us to choose reactions.

reaction-647_051622025713.jpg
Message reaction option on Whatsapp

2. Reels

One feature that no one on this entire planet ever wants on Whatsapp is reels.

Reels on Instagram have anyway been cringy. On top of that, YouTube and Snapchat also have short video formats now, like bad clones of TikTok (if that were even possible).

Please, please never introduce reels to Whatsapp.

If this ever happens, then we need a new messaging platform right away.

3. Option to like stories

Imagine uncles, aunties, relatives of relatives, your sabzi wala, decade old school friends and other people on your contact list reacting to your status.

This will lead to so much confusion and unnecessary messages and backup.

Therefore, telling those developers beforehand: If this feature lies in your KRA for next month, delete it ASAP.

4. View once image

Instagram allow you to share one view, two views and keep in chat image-sharing options in chat (copied from Snapchat, again).

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On Whatsapp, we used to directly share images that are saved in our gallery. But some time ago, Whatsapp introduced a one-view image option in chat. Again I would ask, why?

First of all, we don’t require one-view images on a messaging app. Also, this feature is useless because you don’t get a notification if the other person takes a screenshot and then it remains in their gallery.

And last but not the least…

5. Stories

Stories, known as status on Whatsapp, has robbed it of its main purpose. Which FYI is messaging people.

Remember, how we used to know life updates of our friends and family on Facebook earlier? Now you see them on Whatsapp status (also).

Pictures on Instagram are also all over Whatsapp status now.

Moreover, birthday wishes via personal messages have also been replaced by Whatsapp status.

So, even if you don’t want to see what people are up to these days, Whatsapp status will make you do so. Many also end up sharing their entire photo gallery on Whatsapp status.

Then there are those who use the app less for messaging (what it is meant for) and anything random on Whatsapp status.

Which one of these features would you never want on Whatsapp?

Last updated: May 16, 2022 | 17:15
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