WhatsApp’s latest update demystifies self-destructing messaging feature

WhatsApp’s latest beta updates on iOS and Android reveals how the upcoming self-destructing messaging feature will actually work.

Here’s how WhatsApp’s self-destructing messaging feature is going to be different (Pixabay)

WhatsApp has been working on a self-destructing feature for its messages for quite some time. After being seen as a part of several beta versions, the feature was speculated to be quite similar to Snapchat's self-destructing messaging. The latest report, however, reveals WhatsApp's self-destructing feature could work very differently.

According to WABetainfo, WhatsApp's self-destructing feature will be aimed at group users. The feature will essentially be an automatic "cleaning tool" for group users. It will help delete old messages automatically as several active group chats have a lot of messages and may affect phone's storage. The ability to activate or deactivate this feature will remain with the group admins only, WABetainfo reported.

"This change implies that the feature will have totally another sense. Probably, if you like this feature and you want to use it with a specific contact, you will be forced to create a group with him, seen that the feature will be only available in groups," said the website.

Another interesting finding is that WhatsApp's self-destructing messaging feature will launch as "Delete Messages." The website notes that WhatsApp had made a similar change in the official name when it launched "delete for everyone." The feature was labelled "Revoke Messages" in the beta versions.

WhatsApp's self-destructing messaging feature is expected to launch very soon. With this feature, users will have the option to delete messages as old as 1 year. You can also have the messages older than 1 month, 1 week, and 1 hour get automatically deleted.

Apart from "Delete Messages", WhatsApp is also working on the Dark Theme. Right now, there's no release date for the feature but it has been part of multiple beta versions on both Android and iOS.

According to reports, WhatsApp's Dark Mode is coming very soon and some users have already tested it. The dark theme on the messaging app is said to help you save battery of your phone and reduce strain on eyes.