Streaming platforms across the globe are reducing the video quality over their networks in an attempt to reduce the network load ever since most of the countries have undergone lockdown following the recent Coronavirus outbreak. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have reduced their default video quality. Perhaps the latest platform to add to the list is WhatsApp which has apparently reduced the size of the video statuses that users were able to upload.
If you have been facing trouble updating your video status on WhatsApp exceeding 15 seconds, the reason is the Facebook-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp has reduced the duration of the status from 30 seconds to 15 seconds in India.
This was tipped over by WABetaInfo and since it is a server-side change, the reduced duration has already rolled out for all WhatsApp users. For now, they will be able to upload only 15 seconds of video as their WhatsApp status and anything exceeding it will not go through. This is to reduce the traffic on networks in India due to the 21-days long lockdown that India has been subjected to till April 14th as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is also due to people working from home and network congestion could hamper their work.
According to WhatsApp, the change is temporary and will be reverted to the original 30-seconds long video statuses once the situation returns to normal. Users can, however, use the follow-up method where they can simply update the same video with a 15-seconds clip to complete a whole video status as per their choice.
WhatsApp has also joined hands with UNDP, UNICEF, and WHO to combat fake information around Coronavirus as per its WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub and there’s a chatbot available on WhatsApp that will be able to help you during the pandemic that has already affected 199+ countries and more than 750K people have been tested positive with it.