For more privacy, WhatsApp takes another step towards integrating pseudonyms

The messaging service wants to allow us to hide our phone number. Still in the testing phase, this functionality should be available soon.

WhatsApp needs no introduction: Meta’s application is the most popular of its kind in the world. However, like some of its competitors such as Signal, it requires a phone number to register. Information visible to all user contacts, which is a real nuisance according to some.

To change this, Meta has been working on a new feature for several months, and things are gradually getting serious.

Alphanumeric characters instead of phone numbers

WhatsApp developers never stop. Trial versions follow one another and, with each new version, new features appear. Some make it a point to check everything that happens on the service’s applications, like WABetaInfo which has just detected some interesting information. Indeed, in the latest beta version of WhatsApp Business for iOS via TestFlight, it is now possible to choose a username.

This can be composed of alphanumeric characters, and it must be unique. If WABetaInfo does not give us information on the character limit, the media confirms that it will be possible to use this new pseudonym to connect to the service. It will also be useful for keeping one’s phone number private, while simplifying the addition of new contacts at the same time. However, it is not known whether it will be essential to register for WhatsApp.

A deployment in the coming months?

So, when will this feature appear on our smartphones and computers? Hard to say. We will have to wait for it to appear on the beta versions of WhatsApp non-Business, before it is deployed on a global scale to all users. Fortunately, part of the path has already been mapped, since Meta has already implemented username contact searching in previous trial versions of its service.

The American giant is not the only one to turn to pseudonyms. Signal, one of WhatsApp’s direct competitors, has also been looking into the issue for several months. All that remains is to hope that a small race between developers is underway, and that the functionality will not take long to arrive at one or the other.

Source : Android Police