Fancy chatting about new features with WhatsApp directly?
WhatsApp has got to be one of the most frequently updated apps on our radar, and we’re constantly hearing about new features under development — many before they’re even accessible to beta testers. With that much going on, how can developers keep track of what’s working well, and what’s failing to meet user expectations? Today we’re hearing about plans for the messaging platform to develop a chat-style in-app survey to collect feedback from users.
We already know of WhatsApp’s work to make group polls a thing and separate plans to improve its bug reporting system, but neither of those sounds quite like the survey feature WABetaInfo spotted in development. This new one is chat with a verified business account owned by WhatsApp directly, so you can share your two cents about specific features and products in the app.
If you’re among the few asked to participate in these surveys once they arrive, you’ll see an invitation that states its purpose, giving you the option to accept or decline. If you’re just not at all interested in taking part, you can block the WhatsApp Surveys account just like any other contact to dodge all future invitations.
Don’t expect this feedback tool to empower you to request big new features or other radical changes to the service’s structure. Instead, it looks more like a system that could come in handy during A/B tests and other phases of beta development. For everyone invited to share feedback, though, the new business account chat sure beats typing out lengthy emails and penning bug reports directed to WhatsApp support and its developers.
The feature was first spotted in development on the iOS app, but given the need for feedback across platforms, it’s probably safe to expect an implementation on Android somewhere down the line.
