In the latter part of 2023, WhatsApp Channels made its grand entrance as a broadcasting tool for brands, celebrities, and public figures, revolutionizing how millions could receive direct updates from their favorites. Though not a groundbreaking concept, the integration of Channels into one of the world's most popular messaging apps opened up new possibilities.
Behind the scenes, WhatsApp developers have been hard at work, cooking up some fresh functionalities for Channels, including polls and voice messages. Now, these features are making their way to users worldwide, adding more spice to the user experience.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg spilled the beans on four new features coming to WhatsApp Channels through a channel post (courtesy of WABetaInfo). First in line is voice notes or audio messages. This feature has been in the works since at least October last year, and it's now officially part of the package. While admins could always send text and media to their followers, the introduction of voice notes brings a whole new dimension to audience interaction.
The next big thing on the list is polls. Channel admins can now tap into this feature to swiftly gauge the mood of their audience. Polls have long been a staple in WhatsApp group chats, so extending it to Channels seems like a logical step forward. Participants can choose multiple options simultaneously, as shown in Zuckerberg's shared poll example.
Zuckerberg also touched upon a game-changer for channel owners – the ability to appoint multiple admins. This is a boon for large corporations and brands that need constant communication with their customers. Lastly, the Facebook co-founder highlighted the option for people to add channel posts to their Status. This feature, glimpsed in a beta version from December, adds more context to Status updates pulled from a channel update.
While there's no clear timeline for the rollout of these additions, it's evident that they've officially graduated from the beta phase. Users can expect these features to hit WhatsApp's stable version on Android, iOS, WhatsApp Web, and desktop apps in the coming days or weeks. While most changes cater to channel owners, the ability to share channel posts through Status updates is a subscriber-focused addition. These enhancements signal a positive stride toward improving engagement between brands and their customers on WhatsApp's one-way broadcasting tool. Exciting times ahead!
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