WhatsApp is introducing a new feature called "Flows." This feature will allow users to perform tasks such as selecting flights, ordering food, or scheduling meetings without leaving the app. It simplifies the process by allowing users to complete purchases directly within the WhatsApp chat using debit and credit cards, among other methods.
The key figure behind the development of this new feature introduced by WhatsApp is our compatriot, Sabir Alizade. Sabir has been working as a Lead Program Engineer at Meta (WhatsApp) for a long time. He is currently the Technology Lead for WhatsApp's "Flows" project, having worked on it for the past year.
Sabir Alizade provided an explanation to Tech.az:
"We worked on the WhatsApp Flows project with a team for a year. I served as the Technology Lead in this project. We focused on several key areas in the project:
- Establishing a high-scale, reliable, and secure infrastructure for WhatsApp Flows to operate.
- Guiding the "Payments" system for Flows.
- Being responsible for the Beta release of WhatsApp Flows.
Currently, I am responsible for the long-term development of the Flows product. We have existing products, but unfortunately, I cannot share them at this time."
With this innovation by WhatsApp, shopping and reservations become possible within the app. This demonstrates the application's aspiration to become a "Super app."
Regarding this, the idea behind "WhatsApp Flows" didn't actually start with the concept of a "Super app." In the last 2-3 years, we introduced various products on WhatsApp that allowed businesses to provide different experiences to customers. However, because each business has its own specifications, experiences, and communication style, it could be customized. Then we decided to create a platform where businesses can build their own experiences and offer them on WhatsApp. It was undoubtedly not easy because it required solving many complex problems, but the results are remarkable.
The company has announced that it has tested this feature with businesses such as Banco Pan (a Brazilian bank), MagaLu (a retail sales company), Lenovo, redBus (a travel service in India), SBI bank (based in India), and Spinny (an automobile sales platform). Currently, shopping and e-commerce are among the main directions that WhatsApp is focusing on.
