WhatsApp lets users save contacts within the app, teases usernames

WhatsApp update: Mark Zuckerberg-owned WhatsApp today announced that it is rolling out a new feature that will let users save contacts exclusively within the app. This means that users will be able to access all their contacts even if they lose their smartphones or switch to a new device as they will be stored on cloud, iCloud for iPhone users and Google Cloud for Android users, alongside other details such as chats and shared files. “These WhatsApp contacts are ideal for when you are sharing your phone with others or if you want to separate personal and business contacts when managing more than one WhatsApp account on your phone,” WhatsApp wrote in a blog post announcing the feature.

In a separate engineering blog, Meta said that this feature, instead of using the end-to-end-encryption technique, which the company uses to safeguard its chats, will use a new encryption technique called Identity Proof Linked Storage  or IPLS to protect users' contacts from cyber criminals. “IPLS allows the client device to save the contact information using a strong encryption key generated on the client device. Its retrieval is based on the client authenticating its primary device identity,” the company added.

WhatsApp to soon get usernames

WhatsApp also teased a new and upcoming feature called usernames. WhatsApp says that usernames will add a layer of security on the platform by letting users save contacts without sharing their phone numbers. In essence, this feature will work in a way that is similar to Telegram as it will let users find people on the messaging platform even if they don't have their contact details. That said, WhatsApp hasn't shared a timeline as to when this feature will be rolled out to the users.

Save WhatsApp contact from any linked device

Lastly, WhatsApp will soon roll out a new feature that will let users save a contact from any linked device. As of now, users can save a new contact only from their phone numbers. Howeever, soon they will be able to save new contacts via WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp's dedicated Windows app.