WhatsApp is testing a much higher file size limit for file sharing with a limited number of users. According to a report by WABetaInfo, the testing is being done with selected beta users in Argentina on both Android and iOS.
For the test, the platform is increasing the current 100MB file size limit to 2GB, making WhatsApp a viable and convenient option for sharing large files given its ubiquity. The fact that the new limit is specifically 2GB could be because it’s trying to compete with rival messaging app Telegram, which has had that size limit for years.
It’s unclear if the new size cap will be implemented for both media and document sharing or just for the latter. The app has a paltry 16MB limit for supported video files such as MP4 while the 100MB limit only applies to “documents” which include MKV files — Telegram lacks such a discrepancy for its file size limit.
Keep in mind, of course, that since it’s a limited beta test, WhatsApp could decide in the future to scrap it and not include it in an official update. There is an armoury of features being developed by the company, some of the most recently reported including group polls and data migration from Android to iOS.
(Source: WABetaInfo.)
