WhatsApp has implemented new features

• iPhone users can now use passwords to log in instead of receiving an SMS.
• Whatsapp said on X, formerly Twitter, that the feature is “a more secure way to connect.”
• Users can engage the assistant, called Meta Llama 3, in feeds, chats and searches across all apps.

WhatsApp, the popular global messaging platform owned by Meta, has rolled out new features, including a different way to sign in and an AI assistant in the app, Time reports.

iPhone users can now use passcodes to sign in — meaning they can access the app using Face ID, Touch ID, or the iPhone’s passcode — instead of receiving an SMS to sign in.

Whatsapp said on X, formerly Twitter, on April 24 that the feature is “a more secure way to connect.” It also avoids any potential challenges of receiving an SMS to log in, with the company adding: “travelling? no network? no problem”.

The messaging app already launched passkey for Android users in October, as evidenced by a post shared on Threads, another Meta social media platform.

Also, people with Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro phones can now use Face Unlock, instead of a fingerprint or PIN, to unlock and view messages on WhatsApp, as reported by 9to5Google.

Another change has recently arrived in the messaging app as well. On April 18, Meta rolled out a new AI assistant across all of its social platforms—Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.

Users can engage the assistant, called Meta Llama 3, in feeds, chats and searches across all apps to get information and generate images “without ever having to leave the app you’re using,” the company said.

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