WhatsApp tests new way to request someone's location

You ask a friend, "Where are you?" on WhatsApp. They reply, "How do I send my location?" Now you're their tech support. This feature can save you from having to send two messages at once.

According to Android Authority’s APK teardown of WhatsApp 2.26.41.11, there’s an option to "Request location." The team turned this feature on manually on one of its test devices. This feature is located on the "Send location" page, right next to the features that allow you to share either your live location or current location.

By pressing it, you will get a card named "Location request", which will appear in the conversation.

Apple's iMessage already has a version of this. iPhone users can open the Location menu and select Request to ask for someone's location. The appeal is the same on WhatsApp. A built-in request saves you from explaining the menus. It also saves you from receiving a typed street address when what you wanted was a live map pin.

Reportedly, the test was a one-way test since the feature failed to work on a different phone where the request appeared as a message indicating that it was not supported. This implies that no one has any information about what the recipient gets and how they control it.

One idea that people have is that once you tap the card, WhatsApp takes you to the screen where you select whether you want to share your live location or your current location. This is just guesswork.