On WhatsApp, telephone numbers could be replaced by a username: with the Beta version 2.25.28.12 for Android, the Meta messaging app is in fact testing a username reservation function, so as to allow users to reserve their nickname while it is available. As reported by the information portal WABetaInfo, However, the full rollout of the username will be gradual, allowing the company to monitor performance and resolve potential issues.
The new option will be available in the «Profile» section: it must be said, however, that these are Beta versions, i.e. versions of the app initially released only to some groups of users to test them before the definitive introduction of the new function. The objective, however, is to guarantee greater protection of the privacy of users, who may no longer have to share their telephone number.
How the name reservation tool works on WhatsApp
According to the WABetaInfo portal, the username reservation function is under active development (active development) for the Android Beta version. Users who already have it can start choosing and booking their nickname in advance, before the function is released to everyone through the official launch: each person will therefore be associated with a specific and unique username, avoiding duplication and ensuring greater protection of privacy, given that users will no longer have to share their phone number to get in touch with others.
The tests, however, will gradually be extended to non-Android users as well, so as to guarantee greater fairness and prevent early adopters from blocking the most popular usernames. After the introduction of the booking system, therefore, nicknames will become an integral part of WhatsApp profiles.
There is no news yet on when the new feature will be released in the stable version of WhatsApp (the one that the majority of us use) and whether the phone number will completely disappear from the messaging app. As shown in the photo below, the new option will be available in the «Profile» section.
What would change for users with a username instead of a phone number
But, in practice, what could change with this new function? The impact is certainly linked to the protection of privacy: in fact, to get in touch with other WhatsApp users, your (unique) username may be enough, without it being necessary to share your telephone number.
At the same time, this innovation will make it easier to manage your contacts, reducing the risk of scams, spam or fake phone numbers. In other words, communication on Whatsapp should become more secure, as well as personalized.
In this way the Meta messaging app, which has over 2 billion monthly active users, aligns itself with what has already been done in the past by Signal and Telegram, which have even introduced auction systems to buy or sell the most popular nicknames.
