What does WhatsApp's new event feature do?

WhatsApp will soon be rolling out a new feature for community announcement groups in its latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.20.34 update which is currently available to some beta testers through the Google Play Beta Program.

The new feature in Meta's instant messaging app enables users to create events, specify the date, time and other related necessary information about the events and share them in group chats, WABetaInfo reported.

This makes it easier for community admins to share information directly with all community members, streamlining communication between members of a community and its administrators.

An event can be any scheduled activity, meeting, or gathering which users may organise. 

The new feature proves useful when a new user joins a community because it automatically adds them to the community announcement group, without needing to join additional sub-groups.

This ensures that every new member receives information about upcoming events.

Additionally, since only admins can send messages in announcement groups, event details will not get lost among other conversations and can be easily accessed by members.

The ability to share events in announcement groups also allows admins to easily reach a wider audience because, as the primary communication channel for communities, the announcement group serves as a centralised hub for all members, making it the perfect place to post event details.

It is worth noting that this feature will make it more convenient for community admins to manage their groups, eradicating the need to create the same event for multiple group chats.

The new feature will be rolled out to even more people over the coming weeks.