WhatsApp to bring back text status, rollout for Android users starts next week

WhatsApp's text status feature is back again! The company will release the feature for Android users over the next week and then for the iPhone owners.

The text-based statuses, which disappeared in favour of video and image based options, can be set from the About section. Users can view the Status of their friends by tapping on their contact when starting a new chat or even by looking at the group chat info.

Informing the comeback of the feature WhatsApp in a statement told TechCrunch: "We heard from our users that people missed the ability to set a persistent text-only update in their profile, so we've integrated this feature into the 'About' section in profile settings. Now, the update will appear next to profile names anytime you view contacts, such as when creating a new chat or looking at Group info."

"At the same time, we're continuing to build on the new Status feature that gives people fun and engaging ways to share photos, videos and GIFs with their friends and family throughout their day," said WhatsApp.

Late last month WhatsApp rolled out new Status updates that lets users send and receive status Updates with their contacts; a feature that is similar to Snapchat Stories. Even Instagram has its own version of Stories.

WhatsApp Status updates drew criticism from the users who still like the older text only Status functionality in WhatsApp. But the text Statuses reappeared in a beta build bearing version number 2.17.95 for Android released last week