India, June 30 -- WhatsApp has started rolling out username reservations as it prepares to launch an app update later this year. The feature was announced by WhatsApp in an official blog post on Monday.

The announcement, which enables users to communicate without disclosing their phone numbers, is one of the messaging platform's most significant privacy-focused changes.

The company said users can now reserve an optional username that will eventually replace their phone number when messaging someone for the first time, provided the feature is enabled. The rollout will happen gradually over the coming months.

The app has begun giving users the chance to secure a unique handle before the feature launches globally.

According to WhatsApp, ...