Statuses came to WhatsApp in 2017 as a new name for the same concept as Facebook or Instagram stories. They were one of the most important changes that WhatsApp has had in its history, earning its own tab by hand. Six years later, they are about to give way to another WhatsApp noveltythe channels.
WhatsApp has been preparing for a long time his version of Telegram channels, to such an extent that we can already get a good idea of ​​how they are going to work and where they are going to be. And they will be, except for last minute changes, where the WhatsApp states were before.
States and channels, together in WhatsApp
WhatsApp used to have three tabs, calls, chats and contacts, and the only states the application had were the texts of “Hey, I’m using WhatsApp”. When the multimedia states arrived, the contacts tab disappeared from WhatsApp. came in place the states tab.
Now, the WhatsApp status tab is in jeopardy after another novelty in the way we communicate on WhatsApp is on the way: whatsapp channelswhich for a short period of time were mentioned internally as newsletters.
From the hand of WaBetaInfo, we found out that WhatsApp channels they would live in the same tab of the states. What’s more, unless there is a last-minute change, they will occupy the vast majority of the tab itself: the states are relegated to a vertical row at the top.
The statuses are still there and now we can see them directly in the chat list, but it seems that the channels are going to take away their prominence when they finish arriving. They will be, just like the Telegram channels, or the most recent ones on Facebook and Instagram, a one-way mode of communication, from one to many.
WhatsApp channels are not yet active for users on the app, but we have a good idea of ​​how they will work from various leaks and tests. A channel will consist of a name, description and profile photo, just like a group, and the rest of the people will be able to subscribe to it.
channels can go linked to a username instead of a phone number and activate profile privacy, so subscribers’ phone numbers are not visible.
The channels themselves will be like groups in which we can only read but not participate, similar to the groups of announcements of WhatsApp communities. It is basically the same concept that we find in Telegram channels.
Channels aren’t going to replace states, but it does seem like They are going to take away some of the protagonism in an interface that has more and more problems to incorporate all the news. Recently, for example, the camera tab became a button to make way for the Community tab.
In Xataka Android | That your mobile is only yours: ten privacy settings that I always recommend configuring
