WhatsApp continues to enhance its application by adding new functions that aim to improve communication convenience and security. The latest update in the beta version for Android (version 2.24.18.2), available through the Google Play Beta Program, introduces the development of a feature that allows users to create a unique username with support for a PIN code.
The addition of a username will enable users to choose a special nickname for their WhatsApp accounts. By using a nickname instead of a phone number, users will have more control over their privacy and the ability to conceal their number from new contacts.
Furthermore, this update includes the option to set a PIN code for the username as an extra layer of protection. Unfamiliar users will be required to enter this code before initiating a conversation, while contacts with existing correspondence will not need to use the PIN code.
Once a user selects a username, they can set a PIN code consisting of at least four digits, which cannot be the same as the two-factor authentication code. These features are still in development and are not accessible to beta testers, with no confirmed release date for the official version.
In addition to these developments, WhatsApp may be working on a feature to block messages from unfamiliar contacts and introducing new stickers. However, further details about these functions have not been disclosed yet.