Skip to main content

WhatsApp for iPhone Gets Face ID, Touch ID Biometric Authentication

By

HIGHLIGHTS

  • WhatsApp for iPhone has a Screen Lock option to enable the new feature
  • The feature can be enabled immediately or after an interval
  • Outlook and Signal are offering a similar experience for some time

WhatsApp for iPhone has received an important update through build version 2.19.20. The latest update brings the anticipated biometric authentication that allows users to lock the WhatsApp on their iPhone models by deploying the native Face ID or Touch ID. The new feature, which has been in anticipation since October last year - when the new authentication addition was reported for the first time, works similarly to how you can lock Outlook or Signal on your iPhone. It essentially applies biometric authentication to open WhatsApp. However, the feature doesn't add the additional security to your individual WhatsApp conversations. WhatsApp for Android is also in the rumours to bring a similar form of authentication layer in the coming future.


With the latest WhatsApp update, you can lock the WhatsApp app with Face ID or Touch ID by going to Settings > Account > Privacy > Screen Lock. Once you moved to the Screen Lock screen, the app shows the available authentication method - either Face ID or Touch ID - that you can enable to lock your WhatsApp. You can also choose whether you want the biometric authentication requirement immediately or after an interval of a minute, 15 minutes, or an hour.



WhatsApp still allows users to reply to messages from notifications and answer calls, without requiring biometric authentication. Also, once unlocked after successfully detecting the correct biometrics - either through Face ID or Touch ID feature - the instant messaging app opens access to all your messages. This means the latest development doesn't lock your WhatsApp chats on an individual basis.
The ability to unlock using Face ID or Touch ID on WhatsApp works similar to how Outlook and Signal are offering biometric authentication on their iPhone apps for several months. Further, the use of biometrics to unlock could help WhatsApp officially launch its payments feature in India and other markets. The feature is in the testing stage since February last year. Notably, Google Pay that also supports UPI-based transactions, is already supporting Face ID and Touch ID to enable biometric authentication.
References of the new update were reported back in October last year. Recently, WhatsApp for Android was also reportedly found with some instances to support fingerprint authentication on Android devices.
To experience the new change, you need to download the latest WhatsApp version from the App Store. The app is 137.7MB in size and is compatible with iPhone models running iOS 8.0 and above.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Please give some suggestions or share your experience here...

Popular posts from this blog

8 Ways to Download Paid Apps for Free in 2019

By
The highly-referred quote, “ the best things in life are free “, by French fashion designer  Coco Chanel  is often read without the part succeeding it, “ the second best are very expensive “. Looking at this from the perspective of smartphones, you’ll agree that while some of the greatest apps for both Android and iOS are the ones available for free, there are many great apps which require you to pay. For example, while games like PUBG Mobile and Fortnite are great examples for the dandy freebies, other games like Final Fantasy, Limbo, The Room Series, and more are not. If only there was a way to get paid apps for free. Well, for those of you who do not wish to (or cannot, for some reason) pay for such apps and games, we have listed some of the sources you can use to  grab paid apps for free legally . Most of the options listed here will serve Android users whereas a few apply to iOS, Windows, and macOS users as well. Get Paid Apps For Free Using These Services 1.
Post a Comment
Read more

How to chat privately in WhatsApp Groups with friends, family

By
WhatsApp beta version 2.18.335 for Android has now received a new feature that allows users to reply to Group chats privately. The feature has been in testing for quite some time now and is now finally rolling out to the beta version of the app. The ability to reply to chats privately in a Group has been a widely-requested feature and looks like it will roll out to the stable build in the coming days. As the name suggests, the feature allows any user in a Group to reply to a chat privately, and the reply window takes users to the individual's chat. The feature is particularly useful when Group comments have been set to 'administrators only' and the only way for non-administrators to reply to a chat in a Group is through the 'Reply privately' option.  How to chat privately in WhatsApp Groups The feature is currently only available on WhatsApp beta. Ensure that you are a beta tester of the app before proceeding. Update to the latest version of WhatsApp beta
1 comment
Read more

WhatsApp to Soon Get Fingerprint Authentication on Android: Report

By
HIGHLIGHTS Fingerprint authentication will be required for users to open WhatsApp The new WhatsApp feature is current under development It will protect the entire WhatsApp app and not specific conversations WhatsApp is reportedly working on a fingerprint authentication feature to protect its users' chats from being seen by others. The authentication, once enabled, will be required for users to open the app. The Facebook-owned instant messaging service was recently reported to bring a similar feature to iPhone as well, supporting two biometric authentication methods - both Face ID and Touch ID. It appears this won't be limited to iPhone, and users on Android will get fingerprint authentication, but no facial recognition based authentication, thanks to the lack of a widely used standard on the platform. According to WABetaInfo, a fan site that tests new  WhatsApp  features early, the feature is current under development, and disabled by default in the Andro
Post a Comment
Read more