WhatsApp has just released a long-awaited feature in the beta version of its Android app: a newsletter tool. The incoming feature, currently dubbed Newsletters, was discovered by WABetaInfo in WhatsApp’s most recent Android beta (version 2.23.5.8) and indicates that the messaging app is about to enter the popular news format that has traditionally resided in our email inbox.
As early previews indicate, the Newsletter feature will be prominently displayed in WhatsApp’s Status tab. By clicking the plus icon and entering a username, you’ll be able to “stay updated on topics that matter to you” and subscribe to new newsletters.
According to WABetaInfo, they will effectively sit outside the latter – your personal messages will remain secure, but newsletters will hide or mask the phone numbers of anyone who creates or subscribes to one. The newsletters feature will simply exist in its own section of your Status tab. The ones you subscribe to will appear to be displayed chronologically, with no ads or algorithmic interference.
What isn’t clear yet is what kind of newsletters will appear on WhatsApp and who will create them.
Because of WhatsApp Groups’ popularity, it appears likely that they will be a useful way to get updates from local organisations, sports groups, or official sources such as city councils.
However, unlike WhatsApp’s Communities feature, which debuted in November 2022 and has a limit of 5,000 members, the Newsletter tool appears to have no limit on the total number of subscribers. That means brands and Substack creators could use it as an additional channel to reach fans who want regular updates on specific topics.
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