WhatsApp has long served as the world’s default utility for communication, prized for its austerity and end-to-end encryption. However, Meta is now signaling a shift toward personalization as a revenue stream. The company has begun testing "WhatsApp Plus," a premium subscription tier that moves beyond the app’s utilitarian roots to offer users a layer of aesthetic and organizational control.
According to reports from WABetaInfo, the initial feature set for WhatsApp Plus is largely cosmetic. Subscribers gain access to premium stickers with special effects, custom app icons, and the ability to apply unique themes to the interface. On the functional side, the tier expands the limit for pinned chats to 20 and introduces custom ringtones for specific contacts—features designed for "prosumers" who manage high volumes of correspondence and desire better signal-to-noise ratios.
This move mirrors a similar experiment with "Instagram Plus," suggesting a broader Meta strategy to monetize its massive user base through incremental upgrades rather than paywalling core services. While pricing remains in flux—tests have ranged from roughly $1 to $3 per month—the fundamental experience of messaging and calling remains free. It is a subtle pivot in product philosophy: Meta is no longer just providing a pipe for data, but selling the tools to decorate it.
With reporting from Engadget.
Source · Engadget
