WhatsApp tests link verification system

Screenshot: Android Police

WhatsApp is helping you verify links you receive. Android Police reports seeing a beta feature last month that allows you to verify links and URLs through a Google Search. The Meta messaging app seems to be rolling out to more beta testers and should be working on every URL online. When you long-press a link you receive in the app, there's an option saying: "Get link info on Google." That will take you to the Google app's search window showing relevant details about the selected URL.

A different version of this feature shows a "Search on web" option above frequently forwarded messages. It's unclear when WhatsApp will roll out this feature to all users. It is an important safety feature, so we hope it becomes widely available soon.

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Instagram shows best video quality for most popular content

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If you're wondering why some of your Instagram videos look blurry while others come out crisp, Instagram is doing that on purpose. According to a recent video AMA with Instagram head Adam Mosseri, the quality of your video changes depending on how many views it gets.

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Android tipped to get iPhone's Live Activities-like feature

Screenshots: Android Authority

Google is supposedly working on a new Android API that will allow it to show at-a-glance information in a status bar, similar to Apple's Live Activities on the iPhone's Dynamic Island. Android Authority's Mishaal Rahman spotted the code for what it calls Rich Ongoing Notifications in the Android 15 QPR1 Beta 3 release. It could potentially work like the time tracker that appears when you're on a call, with a bit of text in a bubble at the top of the screen you can tap to get more details.

Rahman said the API "will let apps create chips with their own text and background color that live in the status bar." It could potentially show things like tracking a delivery while using other apps. The feature isn't complete yet, so it might take some time to launch. Rahman predicts we might see it arrive with Android 16.

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