Instagram: WhatsApp working on Instagram-like feature for iPhones: What is it – Times of India

WhatsApp is working on a feature called “channels” that will enable people to broadcast a message for several users. The one-to-many tool for broadcasting information is being developed for iPhones.
What is WhatsApp Channels
A WhatsApp channel is essentially a private tool in which phone numbers and user information are always kept private, WABetaInfo said. The Meta-owned instant messaging app plans to rename the Status tab “Updates” in order to include channels within this section.
According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp will allow users to easily be able to receive useful updates from people they choose to get news from. The feature has been spotted on WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.8.0.75 update available on the TestFlight app.
WhatApp Channels encryption
WaBetainfo said that while Channels will be an encrypted space, messages received within a channel are not end-to-end encrypted because having an encryption for a broadcast feature makes little sense.
Channels won’t affect the end-to-end encryption of private messaging, which continues to be end-to-end encrypted, the report highlighted.
It can also be noted that this is an optional extension of private messaging, allowing people to “choose which channels they want to follow and no one else can see who they follow, regardless of whether they have added them as contacts or not.”
‘Channels’ will also accept handles, allowing users to find a certain WhatsApp channel by just typing their username into WhatsApp. “In addition, people won’t get auto-subscribed to channels as there are no algorithmic recommendations or social graphs pushing content to users that they didn’t choose to see,” the report noted.
This feature, which is still in development on the Android app, is intended to increase channel accessibility, making it easier for users to receive updates that they like, the report said.
Instagram Channels
In February this year, Facebook parent Meta launched a broadcast Channels feature in Instagram. “Broadcast channels are a public, one-to-many messaging tool for creators to directly engage with their followers at scale,” the company said.
Company CEO Mark Zuckerberg uses his Channel to announce new features and updates regarding WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook.

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