WhatsApp Working on a New Channels Feature

Popular messaging app WhatsApp working on a new Channels feature for its users around the world, bringing the version up to 2.23.8.6. WhatsApp has recently introduced a new feature that allows users to create and manage their own channels within the app. This feature is aimed at helping businesses reach a wider audience and engage with their customers more effectively.

With over 2 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp has become one of the most widely used communication apps and is constantly updating with features such as the chat lock feature or the text editor feature.

“The feature is still in development but, thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.8.6 update available on the Play Store, we discovered that this feature has been renamed to “Channels”, as shown in this screenshot:” adds WABetaInfo. This simply means that the new private newsletter tool that was under development has been renamed the Channels tool.

WhatsApp new channel feature is set to transform the way businesses communicate with their customers on the platform. With this new feature, businesses can create and manage their own channels, allowing them to broadcast messages, send updates, and interact with subscribers in real time. This option will be available as a separate and optional section within the Status tab, now called Updates.

The WhatsApp Channel is marked as a private tool since phone numbers and user information joining the channel will always be hidden but messages received within the channel will not be end-to-end encrypted because the concept of one-to-many referred to channels wouldn’t make much sense as a large number of users will be able to subscribe to a channel. However, users can rest assured as channels will not affect the end-to-end encryption of private messaging or calls.

Additionally, there is no way people can get auto-subscripted to channels as there are no algorithmic recommendations or social graphs pushing content to users that they didn’t choose to see. Users are the ones in full control of their own channels. With the ability to send broadcast messages, businesses can now deliver important updates, news, and promotions to all of their subscribers at once. This is particularly useful for businesses that want to promote their products or services or to provide timely information to their customers.

This new feature also allows businesses to interact with their subscribers in real time. This means that businesses can respond to customer queries, provide support, and engage with their customers in a more meaningful way. This level of interaction can help businesses build stronger relationships with their customers and improve customer satisfaction.

Furthermore, the new channel feature also offers businesses greater control over their messaging. Businesses can choose to restrict the ability to post messages to specific team members, ensuring that all communication is consistent and on-brand. With WhatsApp working on a new Channel feature, it will also support handles so users will be able to search for specific WhatsApp channels simply by typing their username within the app.