WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat: What has changed

WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat just introduced some great features we didn't know we needed until now.

Can't seem to tell the difference between the old and new version?

Don't worry, we're here to point them out.

Change is in the air and, fortunately, it's mostly good.

You can bold, italicise and strike out text.

Yes, those basic Microsoft Word formatting features have finally come to WhatsApp on iOS and Android.

For the hipsters who are allergic to emojis, this is probably a welcomed addition.

But don't expect a new button on your keyboard. It doesn't work that way.

Instead, type either asterisks, underscores or tildes before and after the words to format them.

Android users can now reply to messages straight from the notifications panel, something iOS users have been able to do for a while.

But Apple users shouldn't get cocky. Android users will be able to access a list of options such as leaving a group chat simply by selecting a group on the "chats" panel, while iOS users will still have to enter the chat and tap the chat's title to get to the same list of options.

WhatsApp has finally introduced solid colour backgrounds, six years after the app was first released.

A tad late, but still a win for those who love solids over patterns.

Be prepared to spend more time on Instagram.

The company has quadrupled the amount of video time you have.

You can now put up 60-second videos.

And for iOS users, you can now use multiple clips to make a video without having to leave the app.

The only bad thing about the update? You may have trouble logging out.

 

 

An algorithm change is looming.

Soon, photos will no longer be arranged in chronological order. Instead, the order will "be based on the likelihood you’ll be interested in the content, your relationship with the person posting and the timeliness of the post", Instagram said earlier this month.

Instagrammers have been asking followers to turn on notifications so that they won't miss any posts when the changes happen.

 

 

 

 

 

Take all the best features of the most popular social media apps and put them together, and you get Snapchat 2.0.

The app has moved beyond just photos which disappear. It now allows you to make video calls, send GIFs of yourself to friends and even send stickers.

SOURCES: Android Authority, Gadgets360, 9to5Google