If you could read your favourite creator’s newsletter over an instant messaging service like WhatsApp, would you be more likely to sign up for it? Well, that may just be the case in the near future with the new feature Newsletter feature Whatsapp is developing. According to Wabetainfo, code in beta version 2.23.5.3 of WhatsApp Messenger for Android references a brand-new “Newsletter” feature currently in the works. The name could be a codename in and of itself, it is still not confirmed if the feature will be called “Newsletter” but hints in the code indicate that the one-to-many broadcast feature will be optional and standalone within its own portion of the WhatsApp Status tab, apart from encrypted group conversations and messages.
Reports from Wabetainfo indicate that Newsletter will provide users complete control over what they view — there is no mention of advertisements (yet), and there is no indication that algorithm-based recommendations have been incorporated into the feature. Users should instead see the content they select in reverse chronological order. Also, it appears that Newsletter will feature handles, enabling WhatsApp users to browse and subscribe to newsletters by just looking up a username in the app.
This feature may even show users who they follow, regardless of whether they’re in their contacts list or not. Although the idea of the Newsletter feels like one that is supposed to be a private tool that makes the people who create and join feel being in a private space. We are curious to find out if their names and phone numbers would be hidden by default or not
There is presently no information on when beta testers can access WhatsApp’s Newsletter because it is still in the early stages of development. WhatsApp isn’t the only latecomer to experiment with the format; just last month, Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger unveiled Artifact, a new social platform that presents newsletters, blogs, and articles in a TikTok-like format. While some believe the newsletter boom has started to slow down, there is still plenty of interest. Both Twitter’s Revue and Facebook’s Bulletin services have subsequently been discontinued, but Facebook and Twitter have recently experimented with newsletters.
Interestingly in the last few weeks, the instant messaging platform has made the app look cooler with the introduction of a couple of cool features for status, this includes the ‘Voice Status’, ‘Status Reactions’ and much more. The ‘Voice Status’ feature gives users the ability to record and share voice messages for up to 30 seconds via WhatsApp status while the ‘Status Reactions’ offers users a quick and easy way to respond to content on user status.
Olagoke Ajibola is a creative writer and content producer with an eye for details and excellence. He has a demonstrated history of telling stories for TV, Film and Online. Aside from being fascinated by the power of imagination, his other interest are travel, sport, reading and meeting people.
