WhatsApp is testing a new feature that would enable conversations with people who don't have accounts on the messaging platform or who prefer not to share their phone numbers.
The feature, called "Guest Chats," would allow registered WhatsApp users to generate a link and send it to another person, who could then join the conversation through a web browser without installing the app or creating an account.
According to WABetaInfo, a site that tracks WhatsApp development, the company initially explored this option primarily for text messages and is now considering expanding it to voice and video calls as well.
The person creating the link would need to be a registered WhatsApp user and would be required to approve the guest's entry into the conversation. According to the report, conversations with guests would maintain end-to-end encryption, the same security standard WhatsApp applies to regular chats.
The feature could prove particularly useful for owners of kosher phones—devices used in some Orthodox Jewish communities that restrict internet access and app installations. These users, who don't have WhatsApp on their mobile devices but may have access to a browser on a computer or other device, could receive a link from another user and join a conversation without installing the app or opening an account. However, this would depend on whether their browser and device support the service.
At this stage, the feature is experimental and available only to some users of beta versions. There is no certainty about when, or even if, it will be rolled out to all users.
