WhatsApp Channels Are Now Available in Over 150 Countries
- Laurent Giret
- Sep 13, 2023
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Meta announced today the rollout of WhatsApp Channels in over 150 countries. WhatsApp Channels were first introduced in Columbia and Singapore in June, and they let WhatsApp users receive ephemeral updates from organizations, artists, and thought leaders.
Overall, WhatsApp Channels are quite similar to how Channels work on Telegram. Channels messages will appear in a separate tab in WhatsApp, and Channel admins can’t see any personal information about their followers. “Our goal is to build the most private broadcast service available, the WhatsApp emphasized.
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Now that WhatsApp Channels are rolling out globally, the team is also introducing a couple of new features. An enhanced directory will make it easier to find channels to follow based on location, and WhatsApp users will also be able to explore the most popular channels or those that have been recently created.
Moreover, WhatsApp is adding emoji reactions to Channel messages, and users can now forward these messages to private chats or groups. Channel admins will also soon be able to edit their messages for up to 30 days, which is when Channel messages disappear.
As of today, Meta is only allowing select organizations and celebrities to create WhatsApp channels, but the company plans to allow all users to create them in the coming months. “This is just the beginning, and we’ll continue to add more features and expand Channels based on feedback we get from users,” the WhatsApp team said today.