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Too many groups in Whatsapp? Good news for you: WhatsApp has just unveiled their latest feature, 'Channels'. This addition is set to revolutionise the way users receive important updates from organisations and individuals, so you can separate personal from business right from your familiar WhatsApp interface by following 'Channels' that pique your interest, located in the new 'Updates' tab.
Channels offers a one-way broadcast tool where admins can send text, photos, videos, stickers, and even polls. Allowing you to follow sports teams, local officials, hobbies, and more, WhatsApp is building a searchable directory to facilitate your selections. Furthermore, Channels ensure your privacy; your personal information, such as your phone number and profile photo, will not be disclosed to others.
Channel updates are designed not to linger forever, with a storage duration of only up to 30 days on their servers. Admins will also have the option to set up faster-disappearing messages and block users from forwarding or screenshotting the messages. Besides that, Channel admins will also have the authority to control their channel's followers and discoverability in the directory. While channels are not end-to-end encrypted by default, certain cases like nonprofits or health organisations may benefit from this feature in the future.
Starting with Colombia and Singapore, WhatsApp plans to roll out Channels globally, offering the ability for anyone to create a channel in the near future. This could be a useful tool for businesses, as Whatsapp is also looking into expanding their payment services.