WhatsApp creates ability to find and message unsaved contacts | East Coast Radio

WhatsApp creates ability to find and message unsaved contacts

A new feature on WhatsApp is set to help people like Sky Tshabalala be able to message and find unsaved contacts on their cellphone.

WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature on its mobile apps that will make it easier to start chats with or screen unsaved contacts.
WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature on its mobile apps that will make it easier to start chats with or screen unsaved contacts. Image: Pexels / Torsten Dettlaff

In a move that's set to revolutionise the way we communicate, WhatsApp has just unveiled an exciting new feature that will empower users to find and message unsaved contacts effortlessly. 

This game-changing capability is poised to streamline conversations and foster connections like never before, propelling WhatsApp to the forefront of instant messaging platforms.

Read more: WhatsApp, why did you block me?

The instant messaging application has announced via WABetaInfo that it will start rolling out a new feature that will make it easier to start chats with or screen unsaved contacts.

According to My Broadband, the feature is available in the latest updates for the Android and iOS WhatsApp apps. 

Until now, WhatsApp users could only engage with people whose phone numbers were saved in their contacts. 

While this limitation didn't hinder communication with close friends and family, it often posed a challenge when trying to reach out to someone new or unfamiliar. 

Just ask Sky Tshabalala, who at times battled to find certain sports athletes, to ask for interviews or even communicate with them. 

"Yoh, bru, it's always a mission as I'd often try to remember their names or even when they had contacted me as I didn't get the chance to save their numbers," says Sky.

uMgeni Water has urged people to ignore an anonymous WhatsApp message doing the rounds.
uMgeni Water has urged people to ignore an anonymous WhatsApp message doing the rounds. Image: Pexels

The arduous task of adding a new contact before messaging them could be a deterrent to making new connections.

The messaging giant has now introduced a powerful search functionality that enables users to locate and interact with unsaved contacts seamlessly. 

Read more: New WhatsApp feature allows you to edit sent messages

Whether you've met someone at a social event, a networking conference, or even exchanged numbers casually, you can now chat with them instantly on WhatsApp without the need to save their contact details.

Here's how it will work: Within the app, WhatsApp has integrated an intelligent search bar, which lets you type in the phone number of the unsaved contact you wish to connect with. 

Read more: WhatsApp money scams on the rise as experts have their say

Upon entering the number, WhatsApp's algorithm will automatically scan its vast user database and identify the relevant profile linked to that number. 

Once the correct contact is located, users can initiate a chat, send messages, and make voice or video calls - all without having to save the contact in their phone's address book.

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Main image attribution: Pexels / Torsten Dettlaff

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