A new feature in the WhatsApp beta for Android allows users to create a WhatsApp username and choose a unique name for their WhatsApp account, eliminating the need for phone numbers completely.
According to rumors, WhatsApp, one of the world’s most popular instant messaging systems, is working on a new feature that would allow users to create unique nicknames for their accounts, reducing their reliance entirely on phone numbers.
The feature is now available on WhatsApp beta for Android, but it is expected to be added in a subsequent edition.
After installing the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.11.15 update from the Google Play Store, we spotted a significant feature during our usual exploration of the new build, WABeta data claimed in a report highlighting this new feature.
As demonstrated in the screenshots linked to the WABetaInfo report, there is a new option in the profile settings that asks users to enter a new username of their choice. Once a person has chosen a unique username for themselves, they are no longer restricted to using their phone numbers as a way of contact identification. This allows others to find them by utilizing simple and easy-to-remember usernames.
According to WABetaInfo’s explanation of the capability in its report, users will be able to initiate conversations with others by searching for them using their usernames rather than their phone numbers.
So, would chats that begin after a username search be secure? Yes, WABetaInfo confirms that all of these conversations will be protected by WhatsApp‘s powerful end-to-end encryption, illustrating once again how much the service values user privacy and data security above all else.
