WhatsApp rolls out 3 new features for group chats

Facebook, the world’s most popular social media platform is set to undergo a major transformation that will significantly change how people use the app. Meta has announced a new “Reimagined Experience” for Facebook which is expected to fundamentally reshape the platform. The company is essentially moving Facebook toward a more TikTok-like experience. Under the new design, users will see a full-screen video feed as soon as they open the Facebook app. According to Meta, this change reflects what users want most as video content has become the platform’s highest priority. The company said it aims to provide an experience that is both entertaining and helps users discover content from trusted creators. However, users who do not like the new interface will have the option to switch back to the classic Facebook feed which will remain available as a secondary tab in the app’s navigation. Meta plans to roll out the video-first feed later this year initially in selected countries where users consume more video content. Interestingly, TikTok was the first platform to popularize this type of full-screen video feed and Meta now appears to be adopting a similar approach for Facebook. The company has not yet released any screenshots or images of the new interface.

YouTube has announced stricter policies for artificial intelligence (AI)-generated videos in an effort to curb low-quality and harmful content and prevent such videos from generating revenue. The company said the move comes as more creators are using AI tools to produce videos making it necessary to clarify its existing policies. According to YouTube, these are not entirely new rules. Instead, the company has updated the wording of its policies to make them clearer and easier for creators to understand. The revised guidelines place greater emphasis on AI-generated content that is repetitive, mass-produced or designed to manipulate or negatively influence viewers. YouTube said that while some of these videos may remain on the platform, they will not be eligible for monetization and will not be recommended to users. The company emphasized that creators should focus on quality, originality and context when producing AI-assisted content. YouTube also said it is working to distinguish useful and creative AI-generated content from AI-generated spam. According to the company, spam refers to videos that are uploaded in large numbers without meaningful effort, originality or consideration for quality. YouTube stressed that using AI tools is acceptable but creators are expected to include genuine human creativity and value in their videos. In its official statement, the company said that the latest update mainly provides clearer explanations of existing policies ensuring that creators are not caught off guard by sudden enforcement actions or policy crackdowns.

Meta has introduced a new feature for WhatsApp Web and the Windows desktop app that is expected to make handling PDF documents much more convenient for users. The company announced the integration of Adobe Acrobat support into WhatsApp Web and the Windows application. With this update, users can now view PDF files directly on their laptops or desktop computers without downloading them first. Previously, when a PDF was received on WhatsApp, users had to download the file before opening it. The new feature eliminates that step allowing PDFs to be viewed instantly within the chat. In addition to viewing documents, users will also be able to edit PDF files including highlighting text and adding annotations. Meta partnered with Adobe to bring these capabilities to WhatsApp. The company said the feature has now been rolled out globally for users of WhatsApp Web and the WhatsApp desktop app. With more than three billion WhatsApp users worldwide, many people regularly share documents through the platform. The new feature is expected to make document sharing and reviewing much more efficient. Meta also confirmed that end-to-end encryption will continue to protect PDF files even when they are viewed directly within chats. Alongside this update, Meta announced several additional features: iPad users can now create a new WhatsApp account directly from the app. WhatsApp has been redesigned for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to improve the in-car messaging experience. Users can now share songs directly from various music services to their WhatsApp Status.

YouTube, the world’s largest video-sharing platform says Pakistani creators are rapidly expanding their global reach. The company has released a new report highlighting the increasing international popularity of Pakistani YouTube creators. According to the report, Pakistan is now one of the world’s most dynamic YouTube creative communities with Pakistani artists, creators and innovators introducing new forms of creative expression on the platform. The report states that audiences both within Pakistan and abroad are watching Pakistani YouTube content in record numbers helping it build a unique identity among viewers across different regions of the world. According to YouTube’s data: More than 140,000 Pakistani YouTube channels now have over 10,000 subscribers. More than 19,000 channels have surpassed 100,000 subscribers. Over 1,200 channels have crossed the 1 million subscribers milestone. The report also revealed that Pakistani creators uploaded more than 20 million hours of content to YouTube over the past year. One of the most significant highlights of the report is the global reach of Pakistani creators. Around 60% of the total watch time for Pakistani YouTube videos comes from viewers outside Pakistan. From South Asia to the Middle East, and from Europe to North America, Pakistani creators are attracting audiences worldwide through high-quality, authentic and internationally appealing content.

For years, Android phone users have been using Google’s digital assistant. However, the era of Google Assistant is now coming to an end. Google Assistant was introduced in May 2016 as part of the Allo app which was discontinued several years ago. However, following the arrival of Google’s artificial intelligence-powered chatbot Gemini, the company has decided to retire Google Assistant from Android phones. According to a report by 9to5Google, Google has sent emails to some users informing them that Google Assistant will disappear from Android phones starting September 4, 2026. This means that within a few weeks, users will no longer be able to use Google Assistant on Android phones, tablets and wearable devices. Google had initially planned to retire the service sometime in 2025 but later decided to keep Google Assistant available for some additional time. In recent months, Google has been working to make Gemini the default assistant across a number of devices. If you are still using Google Assistant on your Android phone, you can switch to Gemini which can be used for everything from basic phone commands to a wide range of other tasks. Gemini is a multimodal assistant meaning users can give it instructions through audio, text and images. You can also use Gemini, just like Google Assistant through the “Hey Google” voice command.