WhatsApp’s newest feature brings a very different kind of messaging to the world’s most popular chat app. It’s called “Channels,” and it’s designed specifically for one-to-many broadcasts, rather than conversations. The Meta-owned company calls it “a private way to keep up with what matters,” and cites local and sports updates as some of the ways you could use it.
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But what exactly is a channel? It's a Twitter feed without all the metrics and replies. WhatsApp has clearly noticed all the governments, transportation agencies, brands, and others looking for a new, non-Twitter, place to share their most important updates, and sees Channels as a replacement.
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Channels are also a creative tool, as they can send “text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls,” according to WhatsApp’s post announcing the feature’s launch. The company plans to integrate payment and other monetization services into Channels. You’ll be able to find Channels by searching WhatsApp or browsing a newly created list and seeing their latest updates in the app.
WhatsApp says privacy is a key aspect of the experience, which is why channel admin data isn't shared and the app only keeps a channel's history for 30 days. Admins can even block screenshots and promotions, ensuring that what's in the channel stays in the channel. However, Channels aren't end-to-end encrypted—they're treated like your messages with businesses, which aren't completely confidential either. But WhatsApp says it's looking at ways to encrypt some channels over time.
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The company plans to launch Channels with “top global organizations and select organizations in Colombia and Singapore,” and the feature will be available only in those two countries first. It will come to more countries and channel creation will be available to more users “in the coming months.”
WhatsApp is still obviously a messaging app first and foremost – billions of people use it to chat with their friends and loved ones. But as it tries to grow, make more money, and become the all-encompassing super app it wants to be, it’s trying to find ways to be much more than that.
Source of information: theverge.com
