WhatsApp has unveiled a new feature allowing users to save contacts directly within the app, providing greater security and convenience. This means that even if a user loses their phone or links a new device, their contacts will still be available through WhatsApp’s cloud storage.
Previously, WhatsApp synced contacts through a phone’s address book. If you wanted to save the contact of someone who messaged you, their details were stored locally on your device. Now, the new feature, which will be available on various platforms like WhatsApp Web and Windows, allows contacts to be saved within WhatsApp itself. Users can also opt to sync these contacts with their phone’s address book.
Enhanced privacy and flexibility
WhatsApp has been enhancing its functionality to cater to both personal and business needs. Last year, it introduced the option to log into two WhatsApp accounts on one device. The new contact-saving feature can help users manage personal and business contacts separately on one phone. It also offers flexibility for users who share devices, allowing each to maintain their own contact lists.
To ensure security, WhatsApp has developed a system called Identity Proof Linked Storage (IPLS), which encrypts contacts saved in the app. When a user saves a contact, an encryption key is generated, ensuring the contact is securely stored. The retrieval process is based on the primary device’s identity being authenticated, adding a further layer of protection.
WhatsApp is also partnering with Cloudflare to monitor and validate any changes to a user’s contact list, ensuring that no unauthorised alterations have been made. According to Meta, this step adds a safeguard against tampering.
Usernames for extra privacy
The tech behind this contact-saving update also paves the way for WhatsApp to introduce usernames. This will allow users to save contacts by username, eliminating the need to share phone numbers when messaging someone new. WhatsApp noted in a blog post: ‘Usernames on WhatsApp will add an extra degree of privacy, so you don’t need to share your phone number when communicating.’
WhatsApp’s competitors, such as Signal and Telegram, have already implemented similar features, allowing users to connect via usernames without revealing personal details like phone numbers. This feature has been in development for a while, with WABetaInfo first reporting WhatsApp’s work on usernames back in May 2023.
The new cloud contact-saving feature, combined with upcoming username functionality, reflects WhatsApp’s efforts to provide enhanced privacy and flexibility for its users.
