A special feature will be rolled out to its 3 billion users worldwide in the coming months, says Alice Newton-Rex, head of product at WhatsApp.
Accordingly, WhatsApp is set to provide its users with a new feature that will allow them to keep their phone number hidden from others, and with the activation of this feature, it will be possible to maintain a WhatsApp account using only a username in the future, he says.
However, a phone number will still be mandatory to open a WhatsApp account, and once the new feature is activated, it will be possible to maintain your phone number so that others cannot see it.
It is not mandatory to activate this new feature and only those who wish to can use it by reserving a username of their choice. Users will also have the opportunity to remove or change the username they have chosen at any time.
The number of characters or symbols that can be used in a username is limited to 35, and restrictions have also been imposed to prevent others from using the names of famous people as fake names.
With the new feature enabled, users participating in Group Chat will have greater security.