India, June 30 -- Meta-owned WhatsApp, which has more than three billion users worldwide, has announced a major privacy-focused feature that will allow people to connect using unique usernames instead of phone numbers.

The company said on Monday that users can begin reserving their preferred usernames this week, ahead of the feature's official rollout later this year.

According to Meta, each WhatsApp username will be unique, enabling users to share a username instead of revealing their phone number to people they want to connect with.

The company added that creators, small businesses, and organisations will have the option to claim the same username they already use on Instagram or Facebook, helping them maintain a consistent identity ...