Telegram has been ahead of the curve among the best messaging apps, especially in terms of rolling out consumer-focused features. WhatsApp, on the other hand, has been relatively slow to ring in the changes. Channels are one such feature where the Meta-owned app lagged behind, but its developers have been trying to change this, as disclosed by multiple WhatsApp beta releases this year. We’re now learning more about WhatsApp’s implementation of channels, particularly with regard to discoverability.
As spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.23.12.4 by WABetaInfo, users will be able to search for a particular channel by name while also gaining the ability to filter results alphabetically, by popularity or based on recency, as illustrated by the screenshot below.
The source claims that although this feature appeared on the aforementioned WhatsApp beta, it may not be immediately visible to all beta testers. However, this brief preview provided by WABetaInfo does suggest that Channels is inching closer to a broader release.
Based on the info already available, channels would work similarly to a WhatsApp broadcast, with safeguards built in to protect the members’ identities. For instance, nobody will be able to see the channels their friends/family have subscribed to, not even contacts saved on the device. Moreover, members/subscribers will be unable to see the phone number of the channel owner.
We’ve also discovered that Channels may find a home within the Status tab, which, in turn, would be renamed to Updates. WABetaInfo noted in April that messages shared through channels wouldn't be end-to-end encrypted given that it's designed for one-way communication. Thankfully, this reportedly won't affect the current encryption protocols in place for private messages, as Channels operate separately from private or group chats.