WhatsApp Begins Testing Scheduled Messages on iPhone

The messaging service WhatsApp has begun wider testing of a new feature that will let users schedule a message to be sent on a specific date and at a specific time. The option is currently in beta, meaning it is still being tested and is not yet offered to everyone. Some iPhone users can now try it as well.

What the feature does

The function lets a person write a message in advance and choose when it should reach the recipient. The user therefore does not need to remember to send it manually later.

Rivals have offered it for years

Competing messaging services have provided such an option for years, while WhatsApp had apparently not got around to it. Users have waited a long time for the feature.

The source does not say when scheduling will become available to all users, and it does not specify which iPhone users are included in the test. It does note that earlier tests began less than two weeks ago.