WhatsApp rolls out voice updates, polls, more for Channels: Details here

WhatsApp has begun the global rollout of four new features for Channels, enhancing user engagement with this one-way broadcasting tool. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of WhatsApp’s parent company Meta, announced this on his WhatsApp Channel. He stated, “We’re announcing a bunch of new features for WA channels including voice notes, multiple admins and sharing to status and polls, which is great because I need help settling a debate.” Zuckerberg invited users to participate in a poll to determine the ‘best game of all time.’

The new features for WhatsApp Channels, which are now available worldwide, include:

• Voice Updates: Users can now listen to voice updates, one of the most popular features, on channels. WhatsApp revealed that it handles 7 billion voice messages daily.
• Polls: Channels can now post polls for users to respond to.
• Share to Status: Users can share updates from someone’s Channel on their personal WhatsApp Status.
• Multiple Admins: Up to 16 admins can now be added, making it easier to keep people informed about the latest updates.

While the company hasn’t specified, it appears that these features are being rolled out to all Android and iPhone users.

WhatsApp also announced that Channels has exceeded 500 million monthly active users and that there are thousands of Channels for people to follow. The list includes Mumbai Indians, Ram Charan, Allu Arjun, Katrina Kaif, Vijay Deverakonda, Master Your Money, Bad Bunny, Netflix, National Geographic, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1, and more.

WhatsApp revealed that Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny was the first to send voice updates to his 19M+ followers on his WhatsApp Channel. Channels offer a private way to receive important updates from individuals and organizations within WhatsApp, separate from your private chats.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp has introduced a new feature that enables users to change their photos into stickers with just a single tap. This feature, which is currently being rolled out, also allows users to modify existing stickers and add text to them. It is available to iOS users who are using the stable version of the app.  If you find this feature interesting and want to use this feature in your WhatsApp chats, here is a step-by-step guide on how to turn photos into stickers in WhatsApp.