News

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.

Published

2 years ago

October 2, 2024

whatsapp upgrades video calls with new features a guide

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.

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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.

News

Lebanon Ministers Meet Visa Over National Digital Payment Platform

Finance and technology ministers say a comparative study and roadmap will follow before any decision on adopting a model.

Published

20 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Joanna Melki

lebanon ministers meet visa over national digital payment platform

Lebanon’s finance and technology ministers met representatives from Visa last week to discuss a proposed unified national digital payment platform for government services, according to a readout from the Ministry of Finance.

The meeting brought together Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadeh, a Visa delegation, and experts from both ministries. Discussion focused on whether Lebanon could establish a single platform through which citizens and institutions would pay taxes, fees, fines and other official transactions electronically, using mobile phones and other digital channels.

The Visa delegation presented examples from countries that have adopted unified government payment platforms, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Estonia and Jordan. According to the readout, the examples were presented as having increased collection rates and expanded financial inclusion.

Talks covered settlement mechanisms, direct transfer to the treasury account, financial reconciliation, risk management, cybersecurity, fees, and an operational model that would involve the private sector. The parties agreed to continue technical and institutional consultations, prepare a comparative study, and develop an implementation roadmap before any decision on adopting a model for Lebanon.

Jaber said the Ministry of Finance had already enabled citizens to pay using credit cards and e-wallets through transfer companies, but described the proposed platform as a further step. He framed the development of electronic payment and collection systems as a priority within the ministry’s modernization plan.

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Shehadeh outlined the citizen-facing concept as a single mobile application through which users could settle obligations to ministries, government institutions and other bodies.

“The idea, in short, is that any citizen downloads an application on their mobile phone, through which they can pay all service obligations for all ministries, government institutions, or those owned by the Lebanese state, and others as well, as the platform is not limited only to state institutions,” he said.

Shehadeh added that the platform would not displace banks and money transfer companies that currently provide collection services to the state, calling it complementary to their work.