WhatsApp is betting on “giant groups” in 2023; Remember the resources issued by the application | technology

WhatsApp has become popular as a private messaging application, aimed at interaction between two people or, at the maximum, between 256 participants in groups. That changed in 2023: the service launched features that made it more of a public chat platform.

In January, WhatsApp released Communities, which brings together groups in one place and allows you to send messages to up to 5,000 people. Then, in September, it was the turn of Channels, through which notifications could be sent to an unlimited number of users.

Meta, which also owns Facebook and Instagram, announced the functionality of editing messages, using an account on up to 4 mobile phones simultaneously, silencing calls from strangers, pinning messages and more.

Check out the key features launched by WhatsApp in 2023 below.

Channels appear in the new Updates tab, previously called Status. There, in addition to stories, you can find new, more active and popular channels.

Since the idea is to use the channels for general conversations, These spaces do not have end-to-end encryption Found in individual chats and WhatsApp groups.

See below how to join WhatsApp channel:

1. From the home screen, tap “Updates”;
2. next to “Channels”handle “+”;
3. He chooses “Search for channels”;
4. Click on the magnifying glass icon and type the channel name.

💰Payments to companies

The function transfers without creating external links or opening another application. Debit, credit and prepaid cards from Mastercard and Visa are allowed.

In addition to registering for the business version of the app, companies need to have accounts linked to the initiative's partner payment platforms: Cielo, Mercado Pago and Rede.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 communities

The goal is Gather up to 50 groups under one umbrellawith a limit of housing up to 5,000 people in a community.

🔏 Chats with password or biometrics

In May, WhatsApp launched a feature that allows you to protect conversations. The new tool allows you to hide a conversation from the WhatsApp main screen, which is “moved” to a secure folder called “Protected Conversations.”

Conversations in this folder can only be accessed by entering the password or entering the biometrics (face or fingerprint) registered on your device.

1. Open WhatsApp and Click on the name of the contact or group;
2. Select the block option To protect conversations.
3. To reveal hidden chats Pull down the list of conversations;
4. Enter your password or biometrics.

✍️ Edit messages

1. Press and hold the message which you sent;
2. handle “to edit” – On Android, you have to tap first ⁝ (three dots icon at the top of the screen);
3. Type your new message and select the button “to send”.

📱 Account on up to 4 mobile phones

Even with this change, messages remain protected with end-to-end encryption. For safety, if the primary device remains inactive for a long time, the secondary devices will be automatically disconnected.

Other features launching in 2023:

WhatsApp has released payment for businesses

WhatsApp has improved protection against account theft