If you like Telegram but use WhatsApp “because all my acquaintances use WhatsApp,” this will interest you. WhatsApp has announced this week the arrival of a new feature known as “Channels.” As you can guess from its name, this feature is the messaging app’s response to its rival, Telegram, whose channels enjoy enormous popularity.
WhatsApp launches its latest feature: “Channels,” a unidirectional broadcasting tool for administrators to send text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls. In other words, it’s similar to groups where only administrators can post. With Channels, users can follow updates from various brands and content creators, akin to Twitter (although without the ability to reply, initially). They can also use Channels to stay informed about product offers, for example.
Privacy is one of the key aspects highlighted by WhatsApp in its announcement. According to the company, both the phone numbers and profile pictures of Channel administrators will be hidden, just like the phone numbers of users who choose to follow a channel.
WhatsApp also aims to incorporate payment services and other monetization features in the future, allowing content creators and brands to benefit from the app. Users can join channels by searching for them on WhatsApp or through an invitation link, and these channels will appear in a new tab called “Updates.”
This is an imitation of a popular Telegram feature that could be well-received on WhatsApp, as many WhatsApp users also use Telegram solely for following channels. WhatsApp has also recently announced two features that Telegram has been offering for a long time: the ability to edit messages and the option to communicate with other users using usernames (without revealing phone numbers).
Currently, channels are only available in Colombia and Singapore, but WhatsApp plans to make them available to users worldwide in the coming months, according to the company.
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