Meta has been working on ways to incorporate bigger groups with audiences on WhatsApp. It has started allowing groups with up to 1,024 participants, besides the ‘Communities’ feature where several groups with similar interests can be clubbed together. Now, Meta is planning to bring ‘Channels’ to WhatsApp which will make the messaging app more open to broader communication.
This new feature is being developed on both Android and iOS and it was first spotted by WABetaInfo. Instagram and Telegram users who are familiar with Channels on the app will have an idea on how this feature works since the functionality is going to be the same.
WhatsApp Channels
Channels are essentially a broadcasting tool and can be created on different topics. WhatsApp users who are interested in a certain topic can subscribe to that particular channel and receive information on the same. Since Channels will act more as a public tool, messages sent here are not going to be end-to-end encrypted. However, this won’t affect the end-to-end encryption on WhatsApp chats, according to WABetaInfo.
Similar to Instagram, messages sent on Channels are expected to be limited only to admins and people they invite. But users can react, and vote in polls in Channels. There’s also an invite for each Channel. This feature is also very similar to Telegram Channels which also works as a public broadcasting tool.
Channels on WhatsApp
According to the screenshot shared by WABetaInfo, Channels will be located under the ‘Status’ tab on WhatsApp. This tab will be renamed to ‘Updates’ and it will the Status section and Channels as well. Here, you will be able to search for different Channels and also find all that you’ve subscribed to.
Channels is still under development, and there’s no word on when WhatsApp plans to release it to users. It isn’t available to beta users either so the feature is still at an early stage.
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