WhatsApp is still evolving: you will soon be able to hide your phone number

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In recent years, WhatsApp has continued to evolve to make its messaging more convenient for users. For example, today, the app already allows you to connect from a computer, even when your smartphone is turned off. WhatsApp can also be used on several smartphones at the same time. And to allow you to better separate your personal life and your professional life, it is possible to use two accounts on the same smartphone (without resorting to cloned apps). Otherwise, WhatsApp also allows you to create Communities, a sort of improved version of group chats where conversations are organized as if you were on Slack or Discord.

And the next major development in WhatsApp could be the ability to connect with people, without having to give out your phone number. Currently, if you want to chat with someone on WhatsApp, you need to know their phone number. But for a while now, it has been looking at a new system that relies on unique user names. This system would allow you to contact a person on WhatsApp, if you know their username, but not their telephone number.

According to a recent article from WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has not yet given up on this idea. In fact, the site indicates that it has recently discovered a new interface, on the web version of WhatsApp, which will allow the user name to be recorded. At the moment, the functionality is not available, even in beta. But WABetaInfo's discovery indicates that the user will be prompted to register a username (if that name is still available), which can replace the phone number.

WhatsApp must remain relevant

At the moment, we have no further information. But the appearance of the interface released by WABetaInfo suggests that the feature is still under development. Although WhatsApp is one of the most used applications in the world, it has many competitors. And as a result, WhatsApp must constantly look for new ideas for updates to keep its messaging relevant.

Moreover, it should be noted that certain messaging services already have a mechanism based on user names similar to the one that WhatsApp is currently developing. And among these applications there is Telegram. “You can set up a public username on Telegram. It then becomes possible for other users to find you using this username: you will appear in the contact search under “overall results”. This allows you to send a message without needing to know your number,” explains Telegram on this subject.

Today, Telegram is one of the main competitors of WhatsApp. And according to its boss, Pavel Durov, this app will exceed one billion users in 2024.

• Designed as an alternative to SMS, WhatsApp requires you to disclose your phone number when you want to contact someone
• But the messaging service is working on a system based on unique user names which would allow exchanges without having to give your number
• Telegram, the one of WhatsApp's main competitors, already has a similar system

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