WhatsApp Introduces Channels: Is your country included?

After launching “channels” in Singapore and Colombia, WhatsApp has expanded its feature to other countries for users with the latest version of WhatsApp for iOS, Android, and Desktop.

In a tweet from an official Twitter account, WhatsApp declared that channels are now available in more countries including Egypt, Chile, Malaysia, Morocco, Ukraine, Kenya, and Peru.

In order to check if this feature is available, the user has to update the application.

WABefaInfo wrote on its website: “If you reside in any of these countries and wish to check if this feature is enabled for your WhatsApp account, simply update the WhatsApp application and open it.

“If you notice the “Updates” tab, it means that you can finally start using channels right away! Note that this is available on WhatsApp for iOS, Android, and Desktop apps.”

What about my country?

If you reside somewhere other than the places listed, you may wonder when Channels will be released in your country.

Unfortunately, there is currently no update on when the channels will be available in more countries.

READ: WhatsApp makes it easier for you to message unsaved contacts

However, since WhatsApp is gradually rolling out the channels to additional countries at least once a month, it is expected to be rolled out in your country soon.

Don’t know what Channels are?

This feature, announced earlier this year, is separate from regular chats, as users can follow their preferred Channels.

The admins looking over the Channels can share content like text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls with their followers.

This feature allows users to share different updates — from hobbies and sports teams to receiving news from local officials.

Meanwhile, the privacy of the admins will also remain intact as WhatsApp keeps their phone numbers and profile photos hidden from followers.

Just like that, the phone numbers of followers will not be shown to the admins and who they choose to follow, making Channels a private tool for broadcasting information.

“WhatsApp believes channel updates should not have to stick around forever. For this reason, they plan to store channel history on their servers for up to 30 days, and they are developing new tools to make updates disappear even faster from devices,” the WhatsApp watcher wrote earlier.

Admins will also be able to block screenshots, and forwards from their Channels, make their Channels discoverable or keep them hidden.

While these Channels are not end-to-end encrypted by default, there is a possibility that limited audience end-to-end encrypted Channels might be introduced in the future for non-profits or health institutions.