WhatsApp is testing a new “Yellow Pages” like feature in Sao Paulo, Brazil, that will let users search for local shops. The Next Web reports: WhatsApp’s head, Will Cathcart, announced this feature and said “we’ve built this in a private way.” He claims that the company won’t log your location or the businesses you’re searching for. If you live in Sao Paulo, you’ll be able to search for local shops using WhatsApp Business through the ‘Businesses Nearby’ menu in the new chat option. For years, Facebook and Instagram have been trying to connect you to businesses and make your shop through their platforms. While the WhatsApp Business app has been around, you couldn’t really search for businesses using the app, unless you’ve interacted with them previously. The chat app doesn’t have any ads, unlike Facebook and Instagram, so business interactions and transactions are one of the biggest ways for Facebook to earn some moolah out of it. Matt Idema, Facebook’s vice president of business messaging, told Reuters that while the program is taking off in Brazil, India and Indonesia are the perfect next candidates for expansion.
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