Very soon, you will be able to send self-destructing messages on WhatsApp. They are already available in the latest beta, so they could soon reach the final version.
WhatsApp announced the messages that self-destruct last October in beta 2.19.282, with the name of Missing Messages, but now they are called Deleted Messages and we can already see how they work. The Wabetainfo website has discovered them in the beta for Android 2.19.348, and they are already fully functional.
In this beta it is possible to select a message and decide when we want it to self-destruct: in an hour, a day, a week, a month or a year. You can see it in this screenshot:
However, self-destructing messages have a number of limitations, at least in the current beta. They can only be used within groups, not individual chats. And it must be the group administrator who enables or disables the use of these messages. If they are deactivated, the rest of the group members will not be able to use them.
It is an interesting function that can be very useful to send messages about appointments, meetings, or temporary notices, which after a certain time we want them to disappear, because they are no longer useful.
Keep in mind that although they work in the latest beta, it does not mean that they will be released for everyone in the next version of WhatsApp. They may stay in beta mode longer until they get tested well, or even save them for later.
WhatsApp is testing other new features in this beta, such as a new calling system more similar to the traditional telephone, and the possibility of deciding whether or not we want to be added to groups.