WhatsApp’s new feature ​may finally let you chat without sharing your number, may allow creation of a unique handle like Instagram

Launched back in 2009 as a simple status update app, WhatsApp has come a long way from being a quiet disruptor to becoming the go-to messaging platform for over 2 billion users globally. In 2014, it was snapped up by Meta (then Facebook) for a whopping $19 billion, marking one of the biggest tech acquisitions ever. Since then, WhatsApp has added a steady stream of features while sticking to its clean, no-nonsense interface.

And now, it’s gearing up for one of its most significant privacy updates yet: the ability to hide your phone number in select…