WhatsApp has a hidden new feature and here's how to use it

This latest version of the popular app includes some minor bug fixes but there's also a hidden feature to make you messages look a little more interesting.

WhatsApp now includes some nifty new formatting options which allows users to add bold, italics and strikethrough in their text messages.

Bizarrely, WhatsApp hasn't made these new options obvious and you'll need to know these secret tips to add the effects.

• BOLD: Add an asterisk (*) before and after the specific words or phrases you want to embolden e.g. *hello*

• ITALICS Add an underscore (_) before and after your chosen words or phrases e.g. _hello_

• STRIKETHROUGH: Add a tilde (~) before and after the words or phrases you want to strike a line through e.g. ~hello~

As long as you have the latest version of WhatsApp running on your smartphone the effect will be added as soon as the message has been sent.

These codes can also be used online via the WhatsApp Web Client, but the formatting will only appear in the app-based version of the chats.

The news comes as WhatsApp announced it would be dropping support for its BlackBerry app.

By the end of this year, the popular messenger will no longer be available on Nokia S40, Nokia Symbian S60, Android 2.1 and Android 2.2 and Windows Phone 7.1.

In a statement on their blog WhatsApp states: "As we look ahead to our next seven years, we want to focus our efforts on the mobile platforms the vast majority of people use. So, by the end of 2016, we will be ending support for WhatsApp Messenger on some mobile platforms

"While these mobile devices have been an important part of our story, they don't offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app's features in the future.

"This was a tough decision for us to make, but the right one in order to give people better ways to keep in touch with friends, family, and loved ones using WhatsApp.

(dailystar.co.uk)