The username function on the WhatsApp application has been heard since last year, but what makes it even more interesting this year is its plan to use it as the main information in the user’s profile.
With this, the phone number is no longer the main identification but is replaced by the username. The concept is similar to that used on Telegram where users can find and contact others more easily using their username.
As shown in the screenshot above, WhatsApp is testing a new way that allows users to start and manage conversations using a username without having to reveal their phone number.
Once this username-based account is found through the search bar, users can immediately start a conversation where the phone number will not be visible to anyone unless both parties save each other’s numbers in their address books.
This approach provides additional protection for sensitive personal information because phone numbers are often associated with identities and data sources outside of WhatsApp. However, this feature is still in development and so far there is no official launch date.
