WhatsApp is the world's most popular messaging app in terms of numbers of users.
But unlike Telegram, for example, WhatsApp that preserves itself as a privacy-concerned app, is ran by a tech company that hungers for user data. And if compared to Telegram, it has a Channels feature that is more or less, a ghost town.
This may longer be the case, because the app is making a series of changes to the feature.
Channels was launched in 2023, and that it allows admins to engage with followers, in a one-way communication route.
Meta's CEO and founder, Mark Zuckerberg, announced the update through his own WhatsApp channel.
Channels got some updates here’s what you can expect to see soon
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) January 17, 2024
The are a total of four updates to Channels.
The first of them is voice notes or audio messages. This feature has been in development since October 2023.
While channel admins could always send text messages and media to their followers, by allowing them to also send voice notes simply unlocks a new way of interacting with audiences.
Next, is polls, which enables admins to quickly gauge the mood of their base.
This feature attribute has been a staple of WhatsApp group chats for quite a while, so it's only logical for it to be extended to Channels as well.
As confirmed by the media outlet, all poll voters would continue to be anonymous to their followers but also to the owner who made the poll to begin with.
According to Zuckerberg, Channel owners can finally set multiple admins, where WhatsApp has raised the figure to up to 16 admins per channel. The new admin members can be included via the ‘Invite Admins’ button seen on the description page.
And lastly, the Facebook co-founder also spoke about how people can add channel posts to their Status.
To do this, when users press on the picture or a certain message gets shared for that specific Channel, they have the choice to forward that so others can benefit or share across their personal status.
Read: WhatsApp Channels Lets Users Follow Brands And Influencers: Following Telegram's Lead
voice notes in Channels!
and ICYMI, @sanbenito sent the first one https://t.co/LZblXhA2ZB— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) January 17, 2024
you can now share Channel updates on your Status, here’s how:
long-press the update you want to share select ‘Forward’ then ‘My Status’— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) January 17, 2024
After Telegram introduced the Channels feature, it quickly became one of the most-visited places on the platform.
Considering Meta (or formerly, Facebook) has a history of copying others' features, it didn't take long until the tech giant followed suit with its own Channels feature.
As a "one-to-many broadcast" feature, it allows WhatsApp to become more social, which aligns well with users' interest in the platform.
After all, people are always in needs for a versatile communications app, and Meta tries to deliver that with WhatsApp.