WhatsApp has begun rolling out a brand-new Live Location feature to all its Android and iOS users across the world. The tool has been in testing in the beta version of the app for months now, so it’s nice to see it finally becoming available to everyone.
Live Location basically lets users share their real-time progress through a map. Prior to this, a person could only disclose their static location in a chat. This was pretty useful, but less so when a large group of people who are constantly on the move are involved.
The arrival of Live Location gets rid of that dilemma as one map can reveal where each individual is at a given point of time, identifying them by their profile pictures. The feature could also prove useful when wanting to keep an eye on a loved one traveling alone at night.
Users can start beaming out their location in real-time by opening a one-on-one or group chat, tapping on the plus icon in iOS or attachment button in Android, choosing Location, and then opting for ‘Share Live Location.’ They can choose to keep it active for 15 minutes, an hour, or 8 hours.
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Live Location can be switched off at any time. It’s additionally end-to-end encrypted so no external parties can spy on your position, not even WhatsApp itself. The tool is set to become available to everyone over the course of the next couple of weeks.
WhatsApp can be downloaded via the Play Store or App Store.