WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature called “Delete Messages,” which will allow users to set their messages to self-destruct after a set period of time.
Auto-deleting messages have been around for a long time on Telegram and can be enabled in private chats on both iOS and Android.
WhatsApp will enable automatic message deletion in all chats, and the feature is already available in beta version 2.19.348 for Android devices. It's called Delete Messages, and can be activated from the contact's info screen, but it's also available in groups if administrators enable the feature.
WhatsApp's auto-delete messages will come with several preset values, namely 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 1 year. Support for preset message deletion time doesn't seem to be fully established yet, but these features are absent from Telegram's apps.
The new feature is already in an advanced stage of development, as it even supports the app's dark mode. Dark mode for WhatsApp has not yet been released publicly, so there is a chance that both new features will be released together.
