The Meta-owned WhatsApp is planning to introduce an improvement to the privacy of users through the use of phone numbers, the new feature will support chats without phone numbers. The next version is already in the beta version 2. 24. 18. 2 for Android, includes usernames as one of the ways of identifying the user.
With this feature, users will be able to set a specific name along with an account related to WhatsApp. Users can thus start messaging by exchanging usernames instead of phone numbers which is already a feature seen in platforms such as Telegram.
The update is meant to enhance the privacy of the message delivery and communication hence enabling its users to communicate over the social application without necessarily revealing their contact phone numbers to other users. However, if users have each other’s phone numbers saved then it will still be visible in such cases.
Also, there is a new feature in the Beta version that helps block spam. Corresponding sender ID will be required to enter a PIN number of at least four numbers to converse with a stranger even if the sender knows the username.
It was not clearly stated when some of the above features will stop being in beta and be opened up for all consumers to access, though reports have it that this could be done by the close of the year.
Related to the above, WhatsApp has also been developing a feature to let users repost status updates when they have been tagged in the updates, like the reposting available on Instagram. This ‘Reshare Status Updates’ would help in more ways to share the tagged content with the contacts and an effective way of how users to engage with the status update.