WhatsApp is widely rolling out its Telegram-like Channels feature to over 150 countries.
The Meta-owned messaging app announced on Wednesday that it’s expanding the one-to-many broadcasting feature to more users. While WhatsApp first introduced Channels in June, it was only available to select organizations in Colombia and Singapore.
Channels are similar to groups on Telegram, but they are one-way only. This means that only the channel admin can send messages, and followers cannot reply. Channels can be used by businesses, organizations, and other groups to share information with a large audience.
The Channels feature is available in a new tab called “Updates” in the WhatsApp app. Users can find channels by searching for them by name or by category. Once they find a channel they want to follow, they can tap the “Follow” button.
Channel admins can send text messages, photos, videos, stickers, and polls to their followers. They can also set up a profile picture and bio for their channel. Channels will only be available for 30 days, after which they will be deleted.
WhatsApp Channels are a way for businesses and organizations to reach a wider audience with their messages. They are also a way for groups to collaborate on projects and share information with each other.
