WhatsApp continues testing "view once" text messages on iOS

WhatsApp Intensifies "View Once" Testing: Text Messages Next for iOS Users

WhatsApp is pushing the boundaries of ephemeral messaging, now actively testing its popular "view once" feature for text messages on iOS. This highly anticipated update promises to bring an extra layer of privacy to your conversations, ensuring that sensitive text can be consumed discreetly and then vanish forever. The implementation is designed for ultimate simplicity. To send a "view once" text, users will simply need to long-press the familiar Send button. This action will reveal a new option: "Send as view once." Tapping this will engage the feature, sending your message with its single-view limitation intact.

This expansion follows a similar testing phase for Android users earlier this month. Previously, WhatsApp had rolled out "view once" capabilities for photos, videos, and voice messages. The addition of text messages marks a significant step towards a comprehensive ephemeral messaging experience across all primary media types. The "view once" text message functionality is slated to be fully integrated into both one-on-one chats and group conversations. However, it's important to note that this feature will not be accessible within WhatsApp Channels. Currently, this cutting-edge functionality is not part of a public beta and remains under internal testing by WhatsApp developers. It's crucial to distinguish this from a previously explored feature that allowed messages to 'expire' after a predetermined period; the current "view once" iteration focuses on a singular viewing experience before deletion. Source