If you like the idea of subscribing to a newsletter from a loved one through a messaging app like WhatsApp, we have good news for you. As noted by Wabetainfo, the code in the 2.23.5.3 beta version of WhatsApp Messenger for Android contains references to a new “Newsletter” feature currently in development.
The name “Newsletter” here may be a codename, but hints hidden within the code suggest that the delivery tool from a source to a destination will be optional and will have its own section within the WhatsApp Status tab, separate from encrypted group chats and messages.
According to Wabetainfo’s findings, the Newsletter feature will give users full control over what they see. There are no signs of ads or algorithm-based suggestions built into the feature yet. Instead, users seem to read their chosen content in chronological order. There are also signs that the Newsletter feature will support custom usernames, allowing WhatsApp users to browse and participate in newsletters by searching for a username directly in the app.
WhatsApp’s Newsletter feature is still in early development and for now there is no hint of when it will be available for beta testers.