Heard of Twitter? Sure you have. Heard of WhatsApp? Absolutely. Now, imagine these two had a baby. Say hello to WhatsApp’s newest feature, “Channels”.
WhatsApp just announced the addition of Channels – a community feed that lets you broadcast messages, pictures, and videos to your “followers”. So, does it sound a bit like Twitter? Well, you’d be wrong. It’s not just a bit—it’s exactly like Twitter.
Currently, Channels is making its debut in Colombia and Singapore. But fear not, the rest of the world isn’t being left in the dust. The global rollout is expected in the coming weeks, with the UAE set to join the Channels family around June or July.
WhatsApp Channels is poised to change the app forever. Unlike your usual WhatsApp conversations, Channels lets you follow accounts beyond your address book. It’s basically like having a Twitter feed within WhatsApp. It’s going to have its own special section, aptly named ‘Updates,’ and will offer several spaces to interact, from private chats and group calls to communities feeds.
Channels does away with the regular WhatsApp requirement of needing a phone number to connect. Instead, WhatsApp Spaces will let you search the app for people, communities, organizations, and topics that interest you.
Like Twitter, channels will let you upload texts, photos, videos, polls, and more to the feed. But unlike Twitter, WhatsApp offers an extra layer of privacy. Channels can be set to “private”, shielding them from unwanted search results.
So buckle up, because there’s a new social media in town. Twitter, WhatsApp Channels is coming for you.