Whatsapp has launches a new feature, called WhatsApp Channels. 

The feature lets users privately follow people and organisations they want to get updates from eg football clubs. 

Like on Twitter, users can subscribe to channels and receive the updates, although unlike personal chats on WhatsApp they can't respond to them. 

WhatsApp Channels is similar to Telegram Channels, introduced in 2015, which lets admins send messages to users who have opted to receive them. 

It follows news that WhatsApp developers are also working on bringing animated emojis to the platform, much like animated emoji on Telegram. 

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta which owns WhatsApp, announced the new Channels feature in a post on his Facebook page on Thursday. 

"Today we're announcing WhatsApp Channels – a private way to follow people and organizations that matter to you, right within WhatsApp,"Zuckerberg said.'"'We're building Channels to be the most private way to communicate."

Zuckerberg said Channels starts rolling out to users in Singapore and Colombia first, but users globally will get it 'later this year'. 

Channels will appear under a new tab called 'Updates' on the WhatsApp, next to 'Chats', 'Calls' and 'Communities', which was launched last year. 

WhatsApp has partnered with select organisations in Colombia and Singapore, including Singapore Heart Foundation and fact-checker Colombia Check, to launch the tool.

Other global launch partners include the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as Drone Racing League, martial arts company UFC and football teams FC Barcelona and Manchester City.

WhatsApp Channels lets users privately follow people and organisations they want to get updates from, such as football team FC Barcelona