WhatsApp: WhatsApp has exclusively utilized mobile phone numbers for user verification and authentication since its inception. This approach diverges from the majority of prominent platforms, as it permits users to provide email addresses for the purpose of verification. The situation appears to be about to change, as the development team has commenced beta testing account verification on Android and iOS using email addresses.
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Email Account Verification for WhatsApp
The capability of WhatsApp to verify accounts via email addresses has begun beta testing, as observed by WABetaInfo personnel. Selected iOS and Android beta evaluators have access to the new functionality via the most recent app version.
It is an elective functionality that users will have the discretion to either enable or disable. Providing WhatsApp users with an additional layer of security is the objective. It will prove beneficial in scenarios where users are unable to receive OTPs via SMS for the purpose of authentication.
Those who have been chosen as beta participants will be able to access the newly added email address feature through WhatsApp Settings > Account > Email Address. WhatsApp states, “Account access is facilitated via email. Others are unable to observe it. This is advantageous because it ensures the confidentiality of your email address, preventing it from being disclosed to acquaintances or strangers.
Due to the fact that email verification is discretionary, mobile phone numbers will remain the predominant method of authentication on WhatsApp. Simply put, the new feature provides an additional login method in the event that your phone number is unavailable. The exact date of the feature’s arrival on the stable build is unknown; however, we can only expect that it will occur as soon as possible.
Conversely, WhatsApp is currently developing an additional privacy function known as Alternate Profile. This feature operates precisely as its nomenclature implies. Users will have the ability to generate a secondary profile for contacts with whom they prefer not to share their principal profile. The name and profile picture of your alternate profile may be entirely unique and will be exhibited to other users.
Finally, WhatsApp has enabled the concurrent addition of multiple accounts to a single device. The sole stipulation is that an utmost of two accounts may be added. One may represent your personal number and the other your work number, for instance. As the implementation of the multiple accounts feature is being phased in, its immediate availability may not be guaranteed. In the Settings menu, an arrow will appear next to your name if it is enabled for you.
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