WhatsApp for Android devices: get ready to use some new features with the latest 2.12.416 beta version

Here we are again to talk about some updates brought to your favourite instant messaging application. In fact today we’ll see what changes with this new 2.12.416 beta version of WhatsApp for Android devices.

First of all, along with the usual bug fixes, this new beta version of WhatsApp allows you to read the privacy policies and terms of use of WhatsApp. To acces them you simply have to go to Menu > Settings > Help. Once you’re here you just have to click on the new button “Terms and Privacy Policy”.

You can notice some changes also in the APK (installation) file, that has also been increased by 400KB. A large numbers of files have been modified (approximately 348). Some of them relate to a completely new function that will enable you to check the security of the files that you receives on WhatsApp. Furthermore, the other important new function which has been introduced allows you to share documents. Voice is that these two new functions will be activated soon by the developers. What else? the platform.png image has been deleted while two brand new images have been added: background.jpg and about_logo.png.

Now let’s see together how you can download this new beta version of WhatsApp on your Android device. First of all remember that it’s a beta, so you won’t find it yet on the Google Play Store. To install it you’ll have to download the beta going to whatsapp.com/android. As always, remember that in order to perform the installation of this new 2.12.416 beta version you also need to enable the “Unknown Sources” option.

This step is important because “Unknown Sources” is the option that allows you to install an APK file that (like in this case) you’ve downloaded from a third party source. So, go to Settings > Security (or Settings > Application, depending on the OS version that you have on your device) and enable this option. Now uninstall the WhatsApp application that you are currently using on your Android. After that go back to where you’ve saved the 2.12.416 APK file and tap on it to launch the installation.

This latest beta comes soon after the release of the beta version 2.12.413 which contained a couple of secrets concerning some security features, secrets that now have been largerly revealed (and debated).  What were those secret features? The first one was a security indicator. What is shown by this indicator is that your conversation is completely encripted. The other feature that was found out is an option that allows WhatsApp to share account information with Facebook. WhatsApp hasn’t made yet any official comment about these two features, but it seems that they will be added in official versions in the future.