WhatsApp continues its streak of usable updates, with the Meta-owned messenger’s latest beta hinting at the introduction of unique usernames. The news comes from WABetaInfo (where else?), noting the addition of a ‘WhatsApp username’ after updating to the 2.23.11.15 beta build on Android.
As it is, WhatsApp uses phone numbers to distinguish users which could lead to numerous privacy issues. It also makes adding new contacts impossible without giving out access to your phone number. Should it continue to develop unique usernames (which looks likely) it could be a method to keep one’s number invisible to unknown users in group chats and new contacts.
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At this moment, we have no idea how usernames might work once (or if) they hit the platform. We can guess that it’ll work similarly to that of Telegram’s usernames, though we’re hoping that WhatsApp avoids auctioning off usernames on the blockchain. That was… special.
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According to WABetaInfo, the username addition can be found in the Settings > Profile section of the messenger. As for when this update might release to the public, we couldn’t say. The app’s larger updates often take quite some time to appear, which was proven with the app’s most recent edit feature, which had been in development for over a year before experiencing a global rollout.
Source: WABetaInfo