If you could read your favorite creator’s newsletter over an instant messaging service like WhatsApp, would you be more likely to sign up for it? Well, that may be the case in the near future with the new newsletter feature that Whatsapp is developing. According to Wabetainfo, code in beta 2.23.5.3 of WhatsApp Messenger for Android indicates a brand new “newsletter” feature that’s currently in the works. The name could be a codename itself, it’s still uncertain if the feature will be called ‘Newsletter’ but hints in the code suggest that the one-to-multicast broadcast feature will be optional and standalone within its own part of the WhatsApp Status tab, Apart from group chats and encrypted messages.
Reports from Wabetainfo indicate that the newsletter will offer users complete control over what they see — there’s no mention of ads (yet), and no indication that algorithm-based recommendations have been built into the feature. Users should instead see the content of their choice in reverse chronological order. Also, it looks like the newsletter will have handles, allowing WhatsApp users to browse and subscribe to newsletters by simply searching for a username in the app.
This feature may show users who are following them, regardless of whether they are in their contact list or not. Although the idea of a newsletter sounds like one it’s supposed to be a special tool that makes people who create and join feel like they’re somewhere special. We’re curious as to whether or not their names and phone numbers will be hidden by default
There is currently no information on when beta testers will be able to access the WhatsApp newsletter as it is still in the early stages of development. WhatsApp isn’t the only latecomer experimenting with the format; Just last month, Instagram founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger unveiled Artifact, a new social platform that offers newsletters, blogs, and articles in a TikTok-like format. While some believe the newsletter boom has begun to slow, there is still a lot of interest. Twitter and Facebook’s newsletter services were subsequently discontinued, but Facebook and Twitter have experimented with newsletters more recently.
Interestingly in the past few weeks, the instant messaging platform has made the app look even cooler by introducing some cool status features, including Voice Status, Status Feedback, and much more. The Voice Status feature gives users the ability to record and share audio messages of up to 30 seconds duration via WhatsApp status while the Status Reactions feature gives users a quick and easy way to respond to user status content.