WhatsApp is currently trialling disappearing messages for iOS, hot on the heels of the feature being spotted in Android WhatsApp beta.
WABetaInfo uncovered the new View-Once trick tucked away inside the iOS beta version 26.19.10.72, giving us a proper look at how it actually works.
This feature can be toggled on by heading into the Default message timer settings, tapping Message timer, and selecting the After reading option. This lets you choose a countdown of five minutes, one hour, or two hours. Once your recipient actually reads the chat, the clock starts ticking and the message vanishes when the time is up. If they do not open it at all, it simply erases itself after twenty-four hours anyway.
The way it manages the timeline on both ends is quite clever. It wipes the message from your own phone based on your chosen timer, but links the recipient’s countdown to the exact moment they view it.
For instance, if you send a message at 9am with a brief five-minute timer, it will pop out of existence on your screen at 9:05am. If your friend does not open it until 9:10am, it stays live for them until 9:15am. Should they ignore your text completely, it automatically self-destructs from their device at 9am the following day.
Right now, only a handful of iOS beta testers can play around with this feature. There is no official word yet on when WhatsApp plans to roll it out to the wider public on either iOS or Android, so we will just have to keep our eyes peeled.