WhatsApp has officially kicked off experimenting its highly anticipated scheduled messaging feature on iPhones, letting select beta users compose messages and arrange for them to be delivered at a later time.
The Meta-owned WhatsApp’s latest feature is among the messaging platform’s most requested additions and could simplify it for users to easily plan conversations, removing the need to remember sending messages manually.
As per WABetaInfo, the feature is introduced to select iOS beta testers, following its recent appearance in the Android beta version.
However, WhatsApp has yet to officially announce an official public release date.
A report suggested the scheduling process involves typing a message into a chat and pressing the hold button.
Later on, users choose a delivery date and time ahead of even confirming their choice.
A confirmation appears in the chat, although it is visible only to the person who scheduled the message.
Users can reportedly schedule messages from as little as 10 minutes ahead to as far as two weeks in advance.
Moreover, the feature also supports photos, videos and links, although multiple photos or videos cannot currently be scheduled together.
Scheduled messages appear in a dedicated section within the relevant chat information screen.
For group conversations, only members who are already added to the group when the message was scheduled will receive it, even if new members join ahead of delivery.
WhatsApp's new feature's availability
Currently, the feature is available to select beta testers, and users cannot manually enable it if they do not have access.
With testing underway on both iOS and Android, WhatsApp is seemingly planning to release scheduled messaging to a broader audience.
Notably, WhatsApp has yet to officially address the feature.
