WhatsApp is working on custom audiences for status updates on Android beta
WhatsApp is working on a feature that will let users create customizable lists to share status updates with selected contacts. This feature will allow users to organize their contacts into reusable groups, making it easier to share specific updates with the right audience.
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature: | Custom audiences for status updates |
| Status: | Under development |
| Availability info: | This feature is currently in development and not yet available for beta testing. In the meantime, you can read this article for a sneak peek. |
| Previous news: | WhatsApp beta for Android explores unified configuration for chat lists! |
WhatsApp explores custom lists for status updates
In the post about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.5.11 update, we announced a feature that allows users to create custom lists for status updates. This feature will let users organize their contacts into personalized lists. This will make it easier for users to share status updates with specific audiences. Each list includes a name and an icon, so users can easily recognize and organize them.
Note that this feature is still under development. WhatsApp is dedicated to enhancing the experience with custom lists to ensure they are more intuitive for users. But now, WhatsApp is further refining the feature by adding many more details to improve its usability ahead of the official launch. Following the release of the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.12.9 update, which is available on the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is working on a feature that lets users create custom audiences for status updates.
As you can see from the attached image, WhatsApp is exploring the implementation of custom lists for status updates. Even though this feature is not available yet, it already promises to make status updates easier to share. Currently, users can choose to share their status updates with their contacts. This option allows users to deliver status updates to all contacts by default. It's also possible to restrict the group by choosing "My contacts except" or "Only share with". These privacy settings give users full control over who can see their updates, as they ensure a more tailored sharing experience.
As mentioned in the post covering the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.5.13 update, WhatsApp will also release a new audience called "Close friends". This privacy setting will allow users to create a dedicated list of contacts they consider close, the same feature available on Instagram. When users share status updates with this group, only those included into this circle will see them. Compared to the "Only share with" option, the Close friends list is a more restrictive selection of trusted contacts. This means users can reuse it for multiple status updates without editing the "Only share with" each time.
With a future update, WhatsApp will introduce the ability to create detailed custom audiences. After assigning a name and an emoji to the custom audience, users will see a preview of how status updates are displayed. It's important to note that contacts added to the custom audience will see the name and emoji when they view the status update. So users must choose the list name carefully since others will be able to see it. However, privacy is preserved as contacts will not be able to see who else is included in the custom audience.
After sharing the status update with a custom audience, it will appear with a purple color to visually distinguish it from regular updates. This color will help users quickly identify which status updates have been shared with a specific circle. As a result, this color is designed to provide better clarity when a status update was exclusively shared with a custom list. Since the feature is still under development, the color may change before the official release.
The feature that lets users create custom audiences for status updates. is currently under development, and it is planned for release in a future update. At the moment, WhatsApp is refining how status updates are shared with custom audiences. Once testing is complete, WhatsApp will release this feature to some beta testers, making it faster for users to manage their privacy settings and share updates with the right people.
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