The WhatsApp message self-destruct option will ultimately not look as expected. WhatsApp changed their plans in the latest beta of the app. The feature does not apply to individual chats and only affects group conversations. It is envisioned as an automatic message cleaning tool to free up storage space. Explanations.
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New practical features are regularly added to WhatsApp. Last October, the Wabetainfo site, always on the lookout for new products under development, identified a practical option: messages that destroy themselves like in Snapchat with the possibility of configuring a delay ranging from 5 seconds to 30 days after which the messages are automatically deleted. Only, with the latest updates, the application is moving away from the initial objective.
In version 2.19.348 of WhatsApp beta for Android, the option was renamed ” Delete Messages » instead of “Disappearing Messages” and the configurable deadlines have passed a minimum of 5 seconds to 1 hour with a ceiling set at one year. In the latest beta (2.20.10.224) for iOS, Wabetainfo noticed that WhatsApp has changed its plans. All references to self-destructing messages have been removed from individual chats.
The option is ultimately intended to clean up group conversations
If you are one of the people registered in several WhatsApp groups, you are aware that messages can quickly pile up with images, GIFs, audio messages or videos… especially by default, WhatsApp automatically downloads photos on all smartphones and some media when connected to a WiFi network. The automatic deletion feature is designed to prevent group messages from taking up too much space on smartphone storage.
In addition, group administrators will have the option to enable / disable the feature. In other words, participants will not have full control over its use. Finally, as you have probably understood, it is not a question of deleting only the messages you send, but also those of other members.
