WhatsApp is now reportedly getting ready for a new feature to share documents and media with contacts without an internet connection. The feature will work a lot like AirDrop and Nearby Share to send files and media to nearby people.
WhatsApp Media Sharing Will Soon Get Offline Functionality
WABetaInfo, has spotted the new functionality as part of the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.9.22 update. The People Nearby feature will help share media using Bluetooth and hence, will rely less on internet connectivity.
While the feature was already in the works, the latest update sheds more light on how the feature will work. As you can see in the screenshot above, the app will have a dedicated People Nearby section listing various permissions required for it to work. The section can be found under Settings > People nearby. These include
Media access
- Find and connect to devices on your local network.
- Find, connect to, and determine the relative position of nearby devices.
Once the user agrees to grant these permissions, the app can discover nearby devices to enable file sharing. However, the People Nearby feature needs to be turned on both devices. This means that the feature will be opt-in for all devices.
