WhatsApp now linkifying new gTLDs, but…
All URLs using new gTLD domains are now being automatically linkified by WhatsApp, according to the registry manager who’s been pushing for greater support from the major social networks.
Rami Schwartz of Latin American Telecom, the .tube registry, says that WhatsApp on Android devices is now making all new gTLD domains clickable even without the http:// prefix, but that the app on Apple devices has not yet caught up.
Schwartz discovered last year that WhatsApp did not support any gTLD delegated after November 2015, apparently due to the app relying an outdated hard-coded list of gTLDs in Android.
While the list was quickly updated, it’s taken a while for support to trickle down to devices.
Schwartz credited the WhatsApp team at Meta in the UK and ICANN technology specialist Arnt Gulbrandsen with getting the linkification support accomplished. He said he hopes iOS support will come soon.
macOS WhatsApp also not doing linkfication, could be the same root cause as iOS devices.
Arnt was one of the best hires for the UA program.
“was”?