The way you chat on WhatsApp is set to change; users may soon get this special feature..

WhatsApp is preparing to introduce a new feature for its Android users: a dedicated 'Contacts' tab. This tab will allow users to easily view their saved contacts and initiate conversations directly. Notably, it will also offer various options for organizing and searching through contacts.

What is the 'Contacts' tab?
According to a report by WABetaInfo, a new 'Contacts' tab has been spotted in the Android beta version 2.26.45.2 of WhatsApp. The company is currently testing this feature with a select group of beta users. In this version, the 'Contacts' tab replaces the 'Communities' tab in the navigation bar located at the bottom of the app.

With this new tab, users will no longer need to navigate to the 'Chats' section every time they want to view their contacts. Instead, they can simply open the 'Contacts' tab to start a chat with any saved number.

Options for sorting contacts
The new 'Contacts' tab may display 'Favourites' at the top, followed by the rest of the saved contacts. Users will be able to organize this list according to their preferences. The report suggests that options may include sorting contacts alphabetically by name, or by criteria such as birthdays or activity status. If the 'activity' filter is selected, contacts who are currently online will appear at the top, marked with a green dot. Other contacts may be displayed based on their 'last seen' status—though this will depend on the individual user's privacy settings.

Integration with Meta AI and Instagram
The new tab may also include a shortcut for Meta AI. Additionally, users may get the option to share a WhatsApp invite link and invite their Instagram followers to chat on WhatsApp. There will also be a button at the bottom of this tab that allows users to add new contacts. This can be done using a name, username, or mobile number. For contacts added via mobile number, there will also be an option to save them to the phone's address book.

Which users will get this feature now?
According to WABetaInfo, this feature is currently being rolled out to select users who are part of the Google Play Beta program and are using the WhatsApp Android beta version 2.26.45.2. The company may extend it to other beta users in the coming weeks. However, it is not yet clear when the stable version will be available to all WhatsApp Android users.

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