New Delhi, Feb. 11 -- WhatsApp appears to be laying the groundwork for a broader evolution of its product, one that goes beyond secure messaging and into personalisation and cross-platform parity.

Recent beta findings suggest that the Meta-owned service is experimenting with two parallel changes: giving users more control over how the app looks and reducing its dependence on mobile apps by expanding what WhatsApp Web can do on its own.

Taken together, the updates point to a subtle but meaningful shift in how WhatsApp wants users to experience the platform across devices.

In WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.6.1, early development work shows the company testing deeper visual customisation options inside the app itself.

The changes...