Latest WhatsApp feature will make you want to THROW your phone across the room

WhatsApp users could be in store for an onslaught of notifications.

The hugely-successful cross-platform messenger has announced that it is increasing the maximum number of people in one group conversation from 100 to 256 people.

This means some 256 of your friends can jump into one New Group. Just imagine those notifications beeping, ringing and pinging day and night.

WhatsApp is rolling out the update from today, with some users already able to create the super-sized group chats.

 

Group Chats can now hold a staggering 256 different people

 

When your smartphone app is updated, WhatsApp will notify you that you can now add up to 256 people to your next text conversation.

Apple and Android users will be able to benefit from the latest update but Windows and Blackberry aren't able to take part in the larger conversations just yet.

The move to expand group conversations could be the first step in WhatsApp's new business plan, which aims to connect companies with their customers through the popular chat app.

In a recent announcement, WhatsApp said it will charge multi-national companies to conduct customer service chats and calls via WhatsApp.

 

For example, an airline could use the app to contact customers about a flight cancellation or upcoming delays.

WhatsApp says despite the changes, its goal remains to avoid spam and unwanted advertising within the hugely-successful app.

However – it will undoubtedly be easier for companies to push out notifications and updates to 256 rather than 100 customers.

WhatsApp previously charged a yearly 69p subscription to keep the messenger ad-free.

 

The news comes after Facebook confirmed that WhatsApp now has a billion users across the globe.

This monumental figure makes the cross-platform app the world's most popular messenger – with more than 42 billion messages and 250 million videos being sent every day of the week.

Announcing the news on his Facebook page, boss Mark Zuckerberg said: "One billion people now use WhatsApp.

 

"Congrats to Jan, Brian and everyone who helped reach this milestone!"

Facebook paid a whopping $19billion, some £11.5 million converted, for WhatsApp and promised to make it the world's biggest messaging platform – something they have since achieved.

The news comes after WhatsApp was named one of the worst smartphone apps for user privacy.