What's not to like about the GB WhatsApp and other variants such as Yo WhatsApp or FM WhatsApp, especially for businesses? While we can all tell that Mark Zuckerberg is seeking the best way to monetize WhatsApp, which he hasn't quite figured out, he also has to take the best features from other variants. Truth is that in a comparison of, “WhatsApp vs. GB WhatsApp”, most people would prefer the GB WhatsApp features even though it’s not officially available in the PlayStore nor Apple Store.

“Hi, My friend tell me you do writing. I have this task I want done can you help me?"

That was a message I got from a client some months ago through WhatsApp. Obviously, the written English is incorrect. The person's nickname is Persian.

An immigrant in the United States with almost no proficiency in English had sent me an English message on WhatsApp. How? She used GB WhatsApp, which allowed her the privilege of translating Arabic into English. I didn't know that was possible. So, why hasn't Zuckerberg adopted this for the official app? No one knows for sure.

With over 2 billion users, WhatsApp remains the most used app globally (I do not mean the most downloaded in recent times). Although since Zuckerberg’s administration, some modifications have been made to the app, some are successful and many aren’t. It is no secret that Meta has been looking for a way to charge users for the app but hasn’t found the perfect way.

Perhaps the Meta Verified blue check is coming to WhatsApp Business?

With the innovation of business WhatsApp, Meta may just be able to offer more to its users than, maybe, regular WhatsApp. The team at Meta seems to have forgotten the essence of the app and is not bothered by the user experience.

GB WhatsApp and other variants of the green app seem to have gotten ahead of the developers at Meta. There are exciting features offered to users for free that make life more comfortable than Mark Zuckerberg’s rigidity with the app. Although, getting these features for free on FM WhatsApp, Yo WhatsApp, etc., makes it even more difficult for Meta to monetize the features on its green app.

Some features of the WhatsApp variants are resourceful, and after many years, Meta has begun to adopt these features, one after the other. There are things to learn and pick from the other apps to enhance the user’s experience.

To give you a better idea, here are some cool GB Whatsapp features (which are pretty much the same as other variants) that normal WhatsApp can take advantage of for a better customer or user experience.

GB WhatsApp Translate Feature for Multi Languages

If not on the general WhatsApp, then on the Business WhatsApp, Meta should be massively exploring this feature. When messages drop on WhatsApp in an unknown language, the user can highlight them, and among the menu options (three dots on the upper right corner of the screen), they can choose the option to translate to their configured WhatsApp language or another. Similarly, there is an option to change a typed text to another person's language before it is sent. There is already a "Translate" sign on the right side of the text box.

The current translations on the WhatsApp variant apps are still poor, so, we can trust Meta has better data for translation into more languages. Current 'WhatsApp Translate' languages available include Arabic, English, French, Espanol, Italiano, Russian, Portugues, Turkce, Indonesia, Hindi, German, Malay, Vietnamese, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Bengali. One could guess where the developers are from, by vetting the country with the most represented languages. Meta can do better with African languages, and some others, as it currently attempts to on Facebook.

Airplane or Flight Mode

Many people heavily depend on WhatsApp for their day-to-day activities (link). Instead of having to turn off one's data connection or WiFi if they want to do something important, users can set their WhatsApp to Flight Mode.

An individual app being disconnected from the internet makes sense and will strengthen productivity, especially if one has to work online but needs minimal disturbance.

Block WhatsApp Call

Have you ever got bothered by a call from someone you didn't want to speak to over the phone? Yes, Zuckerberg can fix that by adopting this GB WhatsApp feature.

When the user clicks on a contact's information, they can block them (the contact) from ever being able to call them (the blocker). Well, this may not be a professional feature, but those ladies who don't want a stalker disturbing them are going to like the feature. LOL. On a more serious note, the feature can be used to prevent calls after the close of the business day.

WhatsApp Light and Dark Mode for The Outdoors

Although this feature may not be needed by most people, some people will need it. Running a business outdoors with a phone is challenging. Phones with a general dark theme setting would need the light theme setting outdoors.

So, with this feature a user can switch their WhatsApp to light mode without changing the entire phone's settings. This isn’t the best feature, but it’s still useful to have.

Schedule Message Feature on WhatsApp

Like Gmail and some smartphone messaging, you can now schedule when you'd like to send a message to someone. This can be a great feature for someone trying to follow up on prospects and leads, but understand they may likely forget. So, they can now send a message ahead of when they will have it delivered. That way, users do not have to bother about setting reminders to nudge a person.

Visible “About” info under Contact

For the longest time since the days of 2go, users cannot see other users' statuses, now tagged "About." In the earlier days of WhatsApp, the status (About) was displayed under a contact’s name, but now, no one sees a user's "About" info except when opening up the contact's info. According to a personal survey, most people do not visit their contacts 'about' information, unless it is a first-time chat. Business accounts may have more "about" clicks if they have product catalogs, but that isn’t the case for most people who could just send a direct custom order or who need inquiries from a business account before deciding on purchasing from them.

GB WhatsApp, FM WhatsApp, etc. fixed that by making a user’s info show just on the chat page, beneath the person's name. For businesses, it is a good way to constantly remind their contacts about what they do, not just the regular pleasantries. The "About" in Meta’s app is almost redundant, offering no direct visibility of the message unless a user wants to forward a message to their contact.

Status Post Downloads

Zuckerberg's privacy talks really don't move the masses anymore. The disabling of the profile picture download was so unnecessary. Many people cruise with their WhatsApp status posts. There is no point in not allowing people to download what they can see and take screenshots of.

Anyone who wants to make anything private would not bring it online—pictures, stories, videos! So, YoWhatsApp and other variants can save any WhatsApp story to the phone. It is also possible to share a user's display picture on GB WhatsApp. Users once had the profile picture download option and folder; now, it will be great to have it back. Then, the app will enable users to save GIFs, pictures, and other things directly from 'status'.

For instance, a vendor posts their perfume on their WhatsApp status, and a potential buyer likes it but cannot afford it yet. The prospect wants to save the picture for when they will have enough budget for it. That's impossible except through screenshots. Why does it have to be lost in the pile of dry bones (unviewed pictures) sitting in the screenshot gallery folder?

Lock Chat on WhatsApp

For an app that claims to prioritize privacy, locking individual chats or conversations will be such a good feature to have. Financial transactions, legal conversations, or private discussions with associates can be locked, allowing only the owner of the WhatsApp account to access such conversations, if their phone was in someone else’s hand for whatever reason.

Many users of the app will be glad to have the private "lock conversation" feature. With Yo WhatsApp, users can protect conversations via PIN, pattern, or fingerprint.

The GB WhatsApp Features Meta has Already Implemented

Recently, WhatsApp has copied some features from its competition. I say "Copy" because the other had those features first, and didn’t necessarily do the development work.

Edit WhatsApp Message:

In its more recent release, Meta has allowed the option to edit messages up to 15 minutes after they've been sent. That is a great start. So, say someone sent something wrong; instead of deleting it to type something new, the user could just edit it before the recipient opens it. It is still possible to edit after someone has read it, but they probably will not notice the message is edited, and what they first read stays with them.

So, say, in an informal interview happening through chat, a writer has a typographical error in his message, which could cost him the job. He can quickly edit without screwing up his chance. No one loses an opportunity due to a typographical error faster than a writer.

So, the adoption of the "edit" feature is great. However, for now, a user can only edit a message sent in the past 15 minutes; any longer than that, and it is impossible.

Delete WhatsApp Message

The popular GB WhatsApp “delete” feature from years ago made its way to the official app later.. Yes, GB WhatsApp brought the initiative of deleting messages; later, the WhatsApp team decided to adopt it.

Initially, deleting WhatsApp messages was also possible within the first 15 minutes. After that window, it is impossible to delete them. Now, it has been extended for a few hours. That's a good improvement.

Other Amazing GB WhatsApp Features:

More features that Meta’s WhatsApp can incorporate into the app include searching the in-app web browser for images that can be shared directly with another user, "Go to first message", "Double-tap reaction" and "Who can call me".

Conclusion

Meta is fortunate to have a large following and users of its green messaging app. However, it doesn't seem like the company care so much about the user experience while in the race of how to monetize the app. Many features would have benefited the app. Why don't they let their users have them? The features in the document will greatly benefit the app and its users, and perhaps in a business 'pro' version, they will be able to monetize the app. Businesses are the best beneficiaries of these features. On top of all of that, it will also be great to run incognito polls on WhatsApp, too.

Can you think of any other features that would be great to have too? You can suggest them in the comments; I'll be waiting for them!