Channels is the latest feature added to WhatsApp, and it is a broadcast tool for individuals and organizations to share updates with their followers. Meta explained it as a “reliable and private way to receive important updates from individuals and organizations.”
The new feature will be available on Whatsapp, and channel admins will share messages, stickers, polls, stickers, videos, and many more with their followers. WhatsApp shares some examples, including sporting teams sharing updates on games, players, and other sporting activities. There were also updates from content creators, hobby groups, and more.
Users can also search for their favorite organizations and sports teams, and more with the search box on WhatsApp. Channels history will be stored for no more than 30 days back, and admins will have their profiles and phone numbers hidden from followers for security reasons. Channel admins will also have the ability to block post forwarding and screenshot.
Channels won’t feature end-to-end encryption upon launch. Whatsapp is exploring bringing a limited audience to end-to-end encryption channels in the future.
Channels are still in development and will be launched on Whatsapp Beta for Android, IOS, and desktop. It will be available in Columbia and Singapore for select organizations before it is rolled out globally in the coming months.
WhatsApp also announced that it will allow users to send high-definition photos on Android and IOS devices.
A group of WhatsApp Beta users is currently testing the feature, and it uses a light compression algorithm to preserve as much of the quality as possible. Users can select between HD and standard quality when sending pictures.
In the comment section below, let us know your thoughts on the upcoming WhatsApp features.
