WhatsApp is working on bringing newsletter-style “channels” to future update

WhatsApp is working on bringing the ability to create newsletters, called “channels”, to a future update. This feature is still in development, and not yet ready to be released to beta testers.

The Channels feature will sit under a new Updates tab that replaces Status on the main screen. WhatsApp Statuses will then appear in a horizontally scrollable carousel similar to Instagram Stories. In the Channels section, users will be able to see a list of brands and creators that they have subscribed to.

Since you cannot reply to these one-way newsletters, Channels won’t be end-to-end encrypted. However, this does not compromise your privacy, as others, even those in your contacts list, cannot see the newsletters you have subscribed to.

This new feature promises to make it easier for users to stay up to date with the latest news and updates from the brands and creators they follow. There is no word yet on when this feature will be released, but it is likely to be soon.