WhatsApp for Android Said to Be Developing Username Keys to Help Users Avoid Unsolicited Messages

WhatsApp may be growing a brand new characteristic that comes with a number of privateness advantages for its Android utility. Dubbed Username keys, there are two components to this characteristic, a WhatsApp tracker revealed. The first half is the username itself, which is alleged to substitute the necessity to share one’s quantity when sharing their WhatsApp account. The second is Username keys, that are mentioned to permit customers to handle whether or not a first-time texter can contact the person or not. Separately, the corporate can be mentioned to be increasing the real-time voice chat characteristic with Meta AI to the iOS app.

According to WhatsApp characteristic tracker WABetaInfo, the moment messaging platform is growing Username keys to make it simpler to handle whether or not a stranger can textual content them or not. The new characteristic was first noticed within the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.22.9 replace, and it’s at the moment not out there to the beta testers of the platform.

Username keys characteristic in WhatsApp for Android
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

Based on photos shared by the characteristic tracker, WhatsApp’s Android app is growing usernames for customers, which is able to substitute the necessity to share telephone numbers when sharing their account. This approach, if they need somebody to textual content them on the app, they will merely share their username. This is analogous to Telegram, the place customers can discover others utilizing the app and textual content them through usernames.

The prompt messaging platform can even let customers configure a Username key, which is a four-digit PIN code. As per the screenshot, when a person units up their key, they’ll have to share each their username and the important thing to ask somebody to ship a message for the primary time. This means those that don’t have this key will be unable to textual content the person regardless of having their username. This characteristic is alleged not to have an effect on those that are in an present dialog with the person or have the person’s telephone quantity.

Separately, WABetaInfo additionally claimed that real-time voice chat with Meta AI is being expanded to the platform’s iOS app. In the WhatsApp beta for iOS 25.21.10.76 replace, the characteristic tracker noticed the choice to provoke two-way voice conversations with the factitious intelligence (AI) chatbot. Notably, this characteristic was beforehand seen within the firm’s Android app. Voice chat with Meta AI may very well be rolled out to all iOS customers within the subsequent few weeks.