For Windows Phone users, some space is about to be freed up on your devices. The latest update to WhatsApp Beta on Windows Phone now allows for backup on OneDrive.
Before the update, chats would backup to your phone locally. With OneDrive integration, chats can now be logged online, freeing up some much-needed space. This was a feature that was sorely needed on Windows Phone, especially given that it was something that iOS and Android users have been enjoying for quite some time.
Users can choose to backup their data either daily, weekly, or monthly, or disable the feature altogether. It’s also possible to backup data over Wi-Fi, preventing data overages.
To enable backup, Windows Phone owners must go to Settings > Chat and Security > Backup.
Unfortunately, this feature is still locked to the beta version, but should release to the general Windows Phone audience soon enough.
While the overall Windows Phone market share is small, that share is still enough to amount to millions of users. Because many Windows Phone handsets can be found for prices far below the cost of most Android phones, many markets in third-world countries have gravitated toward the platform. While Microsoft hasn’t been as enthusiastic with Windows Phone support — saying it will focus on the platform in 2017 — that hasn’t stopped a dedicated audience from continuing to use and support the platform.
WhatsApp, as an app, also has a massive hold in developing markets. With one billion users, it is no surprise that Facebook bought the company for a whopping $19 billion. WhatsApp has also been increasing integration with Facebook. For ad purposes, WhatsApp did reveal that it would be sharing certain data with Facebook. This, of course, raised the eyebrows of many who are concerned about security. Likely as a result, WhatsApp recently confirmed to Indian courts that it won’t be sharing data of Indian users with Facebook.
