Photo credit: ReutersWhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that could make it easier for users to know when their contacts are currently active on the platform. According to recent reports, the Meta-owned messaging app has introduced a green dot online indicator in the latest iOS beta version. Instead of opening individual chats to check whether someone is online, users may soon see a visual indicator highlighting contacts who are active at that moment.The next feature is meant to make it much easier to initiate instant chats with friends. The feature isn’t currently available outside a limited beta, but it hints at WhatsApp’s ongoing attempts to increase user convenience while not compromising privacy settings. A broader release will come when it’s proven.Key TakeawaysWhatsApp is experimenting with online indicator green dot to highlight active contacts.This option has shown up in the latest beta release of iOS.The feature would enable users to swiftly know online contacts.Status online privacy options were expected to stay same as they were.WhatsApp green dot indicator is still in experimental stage and has yet to make its way out to general public.How does WhatsApp's green dot online indicator work?The new green dot online indicator aims to make it easier for users to find out who is available online on WhatsApp. Instead of opening the chats or looking through the contact list to find the active ones, you may find a green dot icon against the contacts who are online. This indicator is said to appear at some points of the app to make the process of chatting in real-time with your contacts easier without them having to search the contact lists of their friends.As per the reports, this feature is said not to replace the “Online” indicator present on WhatsApp and it simply serves as an indicator of presence on the application. The feature is still in the testing phase and only few iOS beta users can access it. Hence, WhatsApp might change this feature.Why WhatsApp is bringing this feature?With the introduction of the green dot indicator, WhatsApp is trying to improve the experience of messaging for the users. Majority of users do prefer to chat with their friends when they are available online and this might be one of the best ways for you to improve the response time. So, to keep things simple and quick, the green dot can be really helpful.However, this does not mean that WhatsApp will be infringing with the privacy of the users, since it is said that those who had opted to hide their online presence would not have the green dot near their name. Hence, there is a fair chance that the application will be considering the privacy of its users, all thanks to this green dot feature.How this will affect the privacy of the user?The feature of the green dot indicator is also quite interesting with respect to privacy. As reported earlier, if you have enabled to hide your last seen time from WhatsApp, you may not be showing up in this list even if you are available online. This indicates that the company is focused on privacy as well and even with the addition of this feature, the application will not compromise your existing privacy settings.So, the green dot would only be an indicator to people if you want them to know about your online availability and nothing more.This means, the feature will only work according to your existing privacy settings, and the users will not be exposed in any manner with this change.How green dot compares to online indicator of other messaging apps?There are many messaging applications which offer similar green dot indicator functionality. For instance, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Signal and various other messaging applications come with features like showing your friends' online status so that you can easily initiate a chat with them without checking every chat window individually.Thus, WhatsApp seems to have been influenced by such functionalities and is bringing it for its application in its own format. Unlike the other messaging applications which provide an extensive detailing of your last seen online time, WhatsApp traditionally has given immense control to its users regarding who gets to see them online and when their last seen online message was sent.When could green dot online indicator launch for Indian users?Although WhatsApp hasn't yet announced the exact public launch date for the green dot indicator feature, the feature has been introduced in the latest iOS beta builds, which indicates that the company is testing it extensively for any issues. This phase of testing may go on for a couple of months before WhatsApp decides to launch the feature globally in both the stable versions of its application across iOS and Android operating systems.If everything goes smoothly in the testing process, WhatsApp might begin the roll out of the green dot indicator feature across the globe in the next few months, though there's no specific date or timeline given as of yet for India and other regions.Frequently Asked Questions 1. What is WhatsApp's green dot online indicator?It is a new feature under testing that highlights contacts who are currently online using a green dot.2. Is the feature available to all users?No. It is currently limited to selected iOS beta testers.3. Will the green dot affect privacy settings?Reports suggest existing online privacy controls will continue to work as before.4. Will Android users receive the feature?Although first spotted in the iOS beta, WhatsApp may eventually expand it to Android after testing.5. When will the feature launch in India?WhatsApp has not announced an official rollout date for India or other global markets.end of article