WhatsApp's latest update makes Channels all the more useful

WhatsApp is one of the world’s most popular instant messaging apps, and the formula that has worked for it is to keep things simple. For the longest time, WhatsApp resisted the temptation to add more features beyond the standard messages. The app has been slowly adding helpful features that impact its billions of users. Today, WhatsApp is announcing new features for Channels and other parts of its service.

New features around WhatsApp Channels

WhatsApp’s Channels feature has gotten significant traction, and it’s one of the ways influential personalities and businesses can create a community on the platform (the other being Communities, which is a different mode of interaction). Channels are public, so there is unlimited potential to find new followers without revealing your phone number, profile picture, or even name. WhatsApp says that 500 million people are using WhatsApp Channels.

WhatsApp is now rolling out voice updates to Channels. So Channel admins can now pass along voice messages to their followers. WhatsApp says that seven billion voice messages are sent daily on the platform, so the feature is at home here.

Further, Channels can now share polls for users to answer. This helps increase community interaction without burdening channel admins with message volume.

Users can now also share a Channel’s update on their personal WhatsApp status. The status feature is great for sharing temporary updates with personal contacts, and sharing a Channel update easily will help budding channels grow and make it easier for users to share updates that resonate with them.

Channel owners can now set up to 16 admins, making it easier to delegate tasks and run an efficient channel.