WhatsApp today introduced a feature that lets users create groups on the instant messaging app without needing to name them — an update over the existing way that requires users to specify group names during creation.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the update on his Facebook page and Meta’s Instagram channel on Wednesday. The feature will help users create a group, even if they have not decided on a topic yet or need to create one quickly.
However, unlike a typical WhatsApp group that can add up to 1,024 participants, the messaging app confirmed to TechCrunch that unnamed groups will be limited to up to six participants. These groups will be dynamically named based on the users added to a group, the company says.
The group name will appear differently for each participant, depending on how they have saved contacts on their phone. If you join an unnamed group with people who haven’t saved their contacts, your phone number will be visible in the group name, the app said. This indicates the feature is likely aimed more at friends and family who are already familiar with one another.
The company plans to roll out the new group-centric feature globally over the next few weeks.
The latest WhatsApp update comes just days after the messaging app added support for HD photos. The app, which has more than two billion users globally, is also working on introducing HD video support in the coming future, it said.
In the last few weeks, WhatsApp updated its app with features including screen sharing during video calls and the ability to record and share short video messages.