While WhatsApp may be widely – even primarily – used for communication on an instantaneous basis, there are lots of asynchronous usage scenarios as well. One feature that many people have been asking for, businesses in particular, is the ability to schedule the posting of messages.
This could be set to become a reality as WhatsApp seems to be exploring bringing precisely this option to the Android version of the app. This is unlikely to be limited to Android users forever, so it seems that everyone has message scheduling to look forward to.
The feature was spotted in the latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android, and it works in very much the way you would expect it to. There are many potential usages for scheduled messages, including sending birthday wishes, but there is also scope for using the feature to transform WhatsApp into a personal calendar and reminder tool.
WABetaInfo spotted the appearance of message scheduling, and shared the following information about it: “WhatsApp is exploring the implementation of a feature that will let users schedule a message, planned for release in a future update. A scheduled message allows users to plan a message for a specific moment. Users can create it once and assign a delivery time. It lets users plan communication in advance without needing to be online when it sends. So, you can set the timing once, and the app will handle the delivery for you”.
The site goes on to say:
Users will need to enter the text of their scheduled message directly into the chat bar. This means that scheduled messages will be integrated directly into the chat screen. Here, users will be able to decide whether to send the message immediately or schedule it for a later time. This design will keep the scheduling process simple and consistent with the regular messaging experience.
Message scheduling will offer a high level of precision. Users will be able to select not only the day for delivery, but also the exact hour and minute. This level of control will allow messages to be delivered at the most appropriate moment. The system will follow the selected time automatically without requiring further interaction. As a result, WhatsApp will ensure messages are sent exactly as planned and intended.
When a message is successfully scheduled, WhatsApp will show a confirmation toast. This toast provides the main details about the scheduling, including whether it was successful and the exact date and time the message is set to be sent. The message will be added to a queue and it is automatically processed by WhatsApp at the appropriate time. Once a message is scheduled and sent, the recipient will not know it was set for later delivery. This will allow users to schedule their messages without affecting the natural flow of their conversation.
It is very hard to predict when this feature might make its way to a wider audience, but when it does it will be welcomed by many.
