WhatsApp frequently adds features to its widely popular communication app. Back in October, it was rumored that WhatsApp was testing a new feature called “Disappearing Messages” but its function wasn’t clear until now.
The feature has been spotted again in the latest version 2.19.275 of WhatsApp Beta for Android and we have a better understanding of its purpose. The feature has since been refined and renamed to “Delete messages” and lets the users messages expire after a selected amount of time, either an hour, day, week, month, or year.
As per WABetaInfo’s findings, the feature is intended to keep group message conversations from taking up too much storage on smartphones. To be fair, there could be other reasons to use the feature. ‘Delete messages’ for a group chat is only accessible by the group chat’s administrator so the setting would apply to all participants of the group chat.
Source: wabetainfo