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WhatsApp Upgrades Video Calls With New Features: A Guide
The platform’s latest update adds filters, backgrounds, and a Low Light feature, improving both usability and privacy.
WhatsApp has rolled out a series of exciting updates for its video calling feature, aimed at making conversations more dynamic and enjoyable. The new features allow users to customize their video calls with filters and backgrounds, giving each call a personal touch.
One of the most highly-anticipated additions is the introduction of filters: Users can now apply creative visual effects to their videos, ranging from vibrant color schemes to artistic styles.
now you can add backgrounds and filters on video calls
set the vibe and show up in new ways, it’s your call pic.twitter.com/LNVWfaKCBy
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) October 1, 2024
There are ten filters to choose from, including options like Warm, Cool, Black & White, and Dreamy. Each one sets a different tone, allowing users to pick a filter that suits the mood of their conversation. This feature helps make video calls more engaging and visually appealing.
Another useful upgrade is the ability to change backgrounds during video calls. Users can now replace their actual surroundings with various preset scenes, helping maintain privacy or simply creating a more visually interesting call.
For example, users can appear to be sitting in a cozy living room, a bustling café, or on a serene beach. There’s also a blur option to subtly obscure the background, keeping the focus on you. With ten backgrounds to choose from, this feature ensures flexibility and privacy during calls.
Also Read: How To Find & Cancel Pending Instagram Requests
Additionally, WhatsApp now includes a Low Light mode, which enhances brightness in poorly lit environments, ensuring that your video remains clear regardless of your surroundings. This feature is especially helpful when making calls in dimly lit areas.
To access these new features, simply tap the effects icon in the top right corner of your screen during a video call. Whether you’re on a one-on-one or group call, these updates are easy to use and available in an instant.
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Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Also Read: Protecting Your WhatsApp Account From Hackers: Kaspersky Expert Tips
The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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