After testing the disappearing messages feature among a select number of beta users in October, WhatsApp will soon gradually roll out the so called self-destructing message feature on its Android Beta version. The company is still working on the update before it rolls out a more stable release.
Once rolled out, the self-destruct messaging feature will allow users to automatically delete a message post a certain amount of time has been passed which has been set by a user.
The feature has been rolled out on the Beta version number 2.19.348. If you aren’t a beta user and want to try out the new feature, you can manually update the app by downloading it from the APK available on APK Mirror platform.
And since the feature is still in development, all users won’t be able to use the feature. It has also been reported that WhatsApp will be calling the feature 'Delete Messages' instead of 'Disappearing Messages'.
The ‘Delete Message’ feature will be initially available only for group chats and can be switched on by the admins of the group. The feature will come with a toggle on/off button. Users can select a specific amount of time interval for the messages to automatically disappear. Five options including 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 1 year are available to users and accordingly, the messages sent to that chat will disappear.
The 'Delete Message' is different from 'Delete for Everyone' feature in the group chat. While you had to manually select and tap on the 'Delete for Everyone' messages,’ the 'Delete Message' feature will automatically delete the in a way that it would seem like the message never existed.
Earlier in November, WABetainfo reported that the development of much-anticipated Dark Theme is in its final stages. While there is official statement for the release date on both platforms (iOS and Android), but ‘it seems that we're closer to get the Dark Theme in WhatsApp.’
