WhatsApp last year introduced Channels, a new one-way way to send text, photos, videos, and stickers to multiple people at once. Following an update that brought voice messages and polls to Channels, the feature is now getting an advanced search by category.
New features coming to WhatsApp Channels
With the update, users will be able to find new Channels to follow by category. These categories include People, Organizations, Lifestyle, Sports, Entertainment, Businesses, and News & Information. The platform owned by Meta aims to make it easier for users to discover Channels of interest to them.
According to WhatsApp, more than 500 million people around the world already use Channels monthly. Among the most popular WhatsApp Channels are Billie Eilish Home, Rosalia, UNICEF Official, NFL, Inter Miami CF Official, and Netflix.
In January, WhatsApp introduced the ability to send voice messages and polls in Channels. Meta says that around 7 million audio messages are sent every day on WhatsApp. WhatsApp has also increased the maximum number of administrators in a Channel, which is now 16.
More recently, WhatsApp introduced support for animated stickers provided by GIPHY. The platform has also been working on an AirDrop-like feature for sharing files.
The new WhatsApp Channels features are now being rolled out globally and should be available to everyone soon. WhatsApp for iPhone and Mac is available for free on the App Store.
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