According to 9to5Mac, Meta is actively testing two significant new features in WhatsApp’s iOS beta. The first, found in TestFlight build number 25.37.10.71, adds a “Peripherals” category to the Linked Devices screen, specifically showing details of a paired Apple Watch like its name and last active time. This move comes just weeks after WhatsApp launched a native Apple Watch app. The second feature, in build 25.37.10.72, introduces a refined chat storage management tool, allowing users to clear all messages, all except starred ones, or delete specific media categories like documents, photos, and videos. The storage tool clearly shows how much space each category uses. While there’s no ETA for a public rollout, the storage feature’s prior appearance on Android suggests it could arrive relatively soon.
Security: The Unexpected Focus
Here’s the thing: the “Peripherals” listing isn’t just a convenience feature. It’s a direct, and frankly overdue, response to a real security and privacy concern. Now that WhatsApp lives natively on the Apple Watch, it creates a new vector for potential misuse in situations like coercive control or abusive relationships. Someone could pair your account to their watch without you knowing, gaining access to your messages. This new transparency is a basic but crucial step. But there’s a catch, right? The beta currently doesn’t let you unpair the watch from your iPhone app—it just tells you to delete the app from the watch itself. That feels like a half-measure if the watch is in someone else’s possession. So, it’s a good start, but the control mechanism needs to evolve.
The Ongoing Storage Battle
Meanwhile, the new storage manager is Meta continuing its long war against chat bloat. We’ve all been there: a group chat that’s 90% memes and videos, slowly consuming gigabytes. The new interface, as detailed by WABetaInfo, seems genuinely useful. Breaking it down by media type and showing the storage impact before you delete is smart. I think the option to delete everything except starred messages is a particularly clever touch—it protects what you’ve explicitly marked as important. Basically, they’re making the clean-up process less of a terrifying leap into the unknown. This is a quality-of-life update that will probably be a hit whenever it lands.
What It All Means
Look, neither of these features is earth-shattering. But together, they signal a maturing platform. One is about user safety in an expanding device ecosystem, and the other is about practical utility and device management. It’s the unglamorous work of maintaining a service used by billions. The peripheral tracking, especially, shows Meta is at least thinking about the physical-world implications of its software. And let’s be real, in a competitive messaging landscape, these small polish points matter. They’re playing catch-up in some areas, but steady refinement is how you keep people from wandering off to the next shiny app. The real test will be how quickly these beta features escape the testing lab and get to everyone.
