The anonymity of the feature (no phone numbers of subscribers or creators are shared) means it's really a broadcast medium, without any of messaging or interaction that is currently WhatsApp's hallmark. WhatsApp is clearly looking to build on its ubiquity with features that broaden its appeal beyond messaging – and Newsletters is an intriguing step that goes far beyond its recent Communities feature.Īs we've previously argued, WhatsApp Communities work in a similar way to public servers on Discord and Slack, as they let people have conversations within wider communities (in other words, groups of Groups) including local clubs, organizations, and schools.īut Newsletters appears to work quite differently and could turn WhatsApp into more of a publishing platform. WhatsApp's incoming Newsletters tool goes well beyond the scope and scale of its recent Communities feature (above). And it would only strengthen WhatsApp's position as one of the best encrypted messaging apps for Android. This all remains speculation until we see a more developed version of the feature, but given the popularity of traditional email newsletters, it's one we're keen to keep an eye on. That means it could potentially also be used by brands and Substack creators as an additional outlet to reach fans who want regular updates on particular topics. Due to the popularity of WhatsApp Groups, it seems likely that they'll be a useful way to get updates from local organizations, sports groups, or official sources like city councils.īut unlike WhatsApp's Communities feature, which arrived in November 2022 and had a cap of 5,000 members, the Newsletter tool doesn't appear to have restrictions on the total number of subscribers. What isn't yet clear is exactly what kind of newsletters will appear on WhatsApp and who it expects to create them.

The ones you subscribe to will be apparently shown chronologically, without any ads or algorithmic interference (to start with, at least). As the early screenshots show, newsletters will simply live in a separate (and optional) section of your Status tab.

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