A year ago, Facebook launched its social networking app designed specifically for businesses and other organizations called Workplace. All this while the app has been running beta. Today, however, Facebook has officially announced the launch of the app on PC, Mac, Android and iOS.

Facebook also announced today that since the past year, there are now 30,000 organizations using Workplace, which is more than double the figure Facebook published in April this year. Apparently, there are more than 1,000,000 groups that have been created on Workplace to help teams work better together.

While a mobile app for Workplace has existed (though in beta) for a year, the company has today released a desktop app for Workplace Chat. The app comes with new features like screen sharing and, in coming months, group video chat, which will let people create virtual “rooms” of up to 50 people for interactive video conferences. Previously, the video features in Workplace were limited to live video broadcasts, and one-to-one video conversations. The desktop app also includes features like message reactions, mentions, and gifs that keep the conversation fun. 

Other than the new desktop app, and the added features, Facebook is also updating the overall design of Workplace to simplify the interface and make it consistent across Android, iOS, desktop and web. Facebook says that these design updates are based on feedback from customers and make it easier to connect and navigate on Workplace. 

Workplace by Facebook is a whole framework created by Facebook for use in enterprises and large companies to begin with. It brings about communication within the organization in a way that comes naturally to the digital native. So basically, instead of setting meetings and conducting Town Halls, Workplace allows employers to simply connect through a Live Video on Workplace. 

Similarly, the Messenger counterpart on Workplace is known as Work Chat. With Workplace by Facebook, you could continue working with your counterparts within the organization, as well as chat with vendors and third-party consultants who may not necessarily be on company payrolls.

{BGR}

Giving its over one billion users more power to connect, WhatsApp has confirmed group voice calls in its latest beta version of Android. According to WaBetaInfo, a popular website that tests new WhatsApp features early, the 2.17.70 beta WhatsApp update has confirmed group calls.

“The 2.17.70 iOS update has very hidden references to group calls! Before it was an internal news, now it’s all confirmed. There are a lot of hidden references about group voice calls, but there is only one reference about group video calls. So group video calls are partially confirmed at the moment,” WaBetaInfo tweeted on Sunday.

It was earlier reported that the Facebook-owned messaging app was working on a group voice calls and could release the feature next year. Facebook already has a similar feature on Messenger. 

“WhatsApp 2.17.70 sends a request to the server to ask if the user you are calling is in another group call!” WaBetaInfo tweeted. ”Note that these references we found are very strong (but they aren’t visible for you at present) and they have allowed us to understand what WhatsApp is going to add in the application, as we did for WhatsApp for iPad,” it added.

The newest beta version of WhatsApp for Android has several updates, including a smaller app size and a feature that would notify your friends when you change your number. According to technology website Teknepolis, one major update is that when you change your phone number in WhatsApp, your contacts would receive notification of the update. The feature would work every time you change your phone number.

WhatsApp has also announced advanced features for improved group management, including a tool that will prevent the group creator to be deleted from the group by other administrators. The administrators on WhatsApp groups will also be able to choose if other participants can modify the subject of the group, its icon and its description. Reports said recently that WhatsApp’s much anticipated “unsend” feature will be soon rolled out to all users. 

Microsoft is introducing an update for its Skype chat app that will have built-in support for its digital assistant Cortana. Cortana “will be gradually rolled out” for Skype on both Android and iOS platforms, starting with the US, The Verge reported late on Tuesday. Users will be able to start a private chat with Microsoft Cortana in Skype and the assistant will give them quick suggestions while responding to text chats.

“With Cortana’s in-context assistance, it’s easier to keep your conversations going by having Cortana suggest useful information based on your chat, like restaurant options or movie reviews. Cortana also suggests smart replies, allowing you to respond to any message quickly and easily — without typing a thing,” Skype wrote in a blog post.

The update to integrate Cortana with Skype was announced more than a year-and-half ago. However, it is not clear what has been the reason for the delay, the report added. The integration would be similar to what we have seen Google do with its assistant in “Allo” and Facebook with “Messenger”.

After a spate of train accidents in the country that has led to over 300 deaths in 2017, railway officials have been barred from using WhatsApp while on duty. A circular has been issued by the Delhi division of Indian Railways to its entire staff that includes drivers, guards and TTEs, asking them not to use the messaging app during duty hours, India Today reported. WhatsApp has been termed as a “major distraction” by the authorities.

Anyone violating the orders would be dealt with strictly, the circular noted. Such orders would eventually be issued across all railway divisions, and not just in Delhi. “It was noted that several staff associated with the safety department or the operational staff were indulging in WhatsApp and YouTube during working hours. This caused major distraction and thus compromised passenger safety. They have been told not to use these apps and entertainment medium and perform their duty with greater efficiency and alertness,” a railway official reportedly said.

The ban would be applicable to all maintenance and safety staff in the railways. It includes track-men, gang men guards on crossings, loco pilots, and train guards. Even mid-level station managers and superintendents are prohibited from using the apps during work hours. However, it is not clear when the ban comes into effect. All communication among staff members would have to be done via walkie-talkies. Additionally, drivers and guards have been asked to switch off their mobile phones while on duty. 

WhatsApp and YouTube are surely the most popular apps in India. This country accounts for WhatsApp’s largest user base in the world, and over 96 percent of smartphones in India have WhatsApp, a 2016 study revealed. It has a higher penetration than Facebook’s Messenger application, and homegrown messaging app Hike. YouTube, too, has 180 million users in India, which is one of its top global markets. In August, the video-sharing platform stated that 85 percent of its India traffic was coming from smartphones. With the government pushing for Wi-Fi availability across major railway stations as part of its Digital India initiative, it is only natural that officials used apps freely.

{BGR}

Emojis continue to rule modern conversations, and two of the most popular messaging apps – WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger – are set to introduce a new set of these expressive icons real soon. Even as these emojis are ‘new’, iOS users are likely to find them familiar.

WhatsApp beta Android version, released today, comes with its own set of emojis that seem to be inspired by the iOS emojis. While they appear identical, there are subtle differences. For example, the girl emoji has different hair in the WhatsApp version as compared to the iOS set, even as they are racially diverse. Secondly, the water droplets emoji is purple in color in the beta version for Android, while on iOS, it is blue in color.

As for Messenger, the company has decided to ditch the app’s own set of emojis for Facebook emojis. According to Emojipedia, the Messenger custom emojis were introduced slightly over a year ago in a bid to make them appear same across platforms. 

A spokesperson for Messenger is quoted as saying,”At this time, we’ve decided to end our support of the Messenger emoji set to focus our attention on other features that help people express themselves and make the Messenger experience fun and engaging.”

Following the update, iOS users of Messenger will no longer have access to the custom emoji designs and instead see Apple’s own set of emojis.

With the introduction of the new emojis, Messenger users on Android and web will see Facebook’s emojis, while iOS users will continue to see Apple’s own emojis. However, some emojis, which are currently not supported in iOS will not be reflected. This is likely to change by the end of the year when Apple rolls out its new set of emojis.