It’s long been theorised that WhatsApp would introduce a subscription plan. With the insertion of ads being a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’, we assumed that a monthly fee would ride in like a knight in shining armour. That doesn’t appear to be the case for WhatsApp ‘Plus’, according to WABetaInfo.
The service, currently under development for both Android and iOS, is more about customising the app, rather than ridding it of ads. Judging by Meta’s ‘no ads’ subscription for Instagram users in Europe, we imagine the Facebook company could entertain a similar idea for WhatsApp. As it stands, however, it looks a bit of a mess.
That’s a big Plus
Note that, without WhatsApp Plus, all of the core features you’ve come to expect from the app will remain free. With ads plaguing them sometime in the future. The features that form the Plus tier include the ability to change the WhatsApp icon (with fourteen to choose from) and new colours for interface elements.
As it is, users can only pin up to three chats at a time. The Plus subscription will give users up to seventeen more slots to better organise chats. Exclusive ringtones will also be made available. So far, so bad, right? WABetaInfo reckons the service will add new features over time, such as exclusive stickers and “more immersive and interactive” reactions to messages. Whatever that means.
“WhatsApp Plus is expected to include even more features over time, expanding the ways subscribers can personalize and enhance their WhatsApp experience,” WABetaInfo wrote.
We worry that when Plus can’t grab the number of signups it’s hoping for, it’ll begin locking core features and new releases behind a paywall. At the moment, it’s unclear when the service will debut or how much it’ll cost. The feature hasn’t arrived with beta testers yet, so it’s likely still a ways off from an official release.
