WhatsApp to introduce Telegram-like feature soon: Know what it is
WhatsApp is working on "Channels." Yes! You heard it right. The Meta-owned platform is planning to integrate the one-to-many tool similar to Telegram, for purposes such as broadcasting information. The feature is currently under development. It should be available in a future update of the instant messaging app. However, courtesy of WABetaInfo, we now have a sneak peek at it.
Why does this story matter?
Telegram introduced "Channels" to broadcast public messages to large audiences. Years later, WhatsApp is now planning to introduce this tool to its platform. Channels will offer a unique opportunity to individuals, allowing them to reach a broad user base directly, because each post in the channels will trigger a notification on the receiver's device, informing them about the new information.
WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.8.0.75 update contains the new feature
The Channels feature is already in the works for the Android app. However, WhatsApp is also working on bringing it to iOS. The new tool can be discovered on the WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.8.0.75 update, which is available on the TestFlight app. Channels will assist users in getting pertinent updates from the sources they intend to get info from.
Phone number and user information will be kept private
WhatsApp will rename the Status tab to "Updates," and list the new Channels tool within this section. The platform will keep the user information along with the phone numbers hidden in a specific channel. The messages shared in the channels will lack end-to-end encryption. However, the E2E encryption will continue to be operational for private messaging.
Each WhatsApp channel will have a username
WhatsApp will offer full control to users over which channels they want to subscribe to. They won't get automatically subscribed to channels. Additionally, Channels will also have support for handles, similar to Telegram, allowing individuals to search for a specific channel via its username and later subscribe to it for future updates. Usernames will help access channels in the most effective way.
The tool is expected to arrive on Android, iOS soon
"Channels" is currently under development. It is expected to be released in the future update of WhatsApp beta for Android and iOS. Once the testing phase is complete, the tool will be introduced to the stable OS versions.
