Both are welcome additions to the platform, but there is another big upgrade, which can actually be quite expensive. WhatsApp has announced that it is increasing the file size limit available to billions of users, from the rather meager 100MB to the huge 2GB.
This means you’ll soon be able to capture 4K pixel-full video and send it to friends and family without having to start compressing files or degrading. This is what many want, but it comes with a warning.
Millions of smartphone owners are left with contracts that do not offer unlimited data. Once things run out, most networks will ask customers to buy more to stay online – something WhatsApp requires to work – and it’s not exactly cheap.
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For example, purchasing 1GB of data from EE will return customers over £ 5, and Vodafone will charge over £ 3 for the privilege to top up their surcharge if it runs out.
It is currently unclear whether users will be warned before downloading content sent to them via WhatsApp, but the Meta-owned company has issued a warning to anyone with a limitation on its data plan.
In a post on his WhatsApp blog page, he said: “You can now send WhatsApp files up to 2GB at a time, protected from end-to-end encryption. “This is an increase from the previous limit of 100MB and we think it will be useful for cooperation between small businesses and school groups. We recommend using WiFi for larger files and will show a counter during upload or download to let you know how long your transfer will take. “
These changes will be introduced in the coming weeks, so be warned if you have only signed up for a small amount of data from your network, as you may find that you are facing a surprising bill.
It is not clear when exactly everyone will receive this WhatsApp upgrade, but it is worth checking your device now to see if it has arrived.
HOW TO UPDATE APPLICATIONS INCLUDING WHATSAPP
ON ANDROID: Open the Google Play Store app • Tap the profile icon on the top right • Tap Manage apps and device • Apps with an available update are labeled ‘Available update’ • Tap Update.
ON iPHONE: Open the App Store • In the sidebar, click Updates • Click Update to app to update only that app, or click Update all.
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