WhatsApp Arrives on Apple Watch,Closing the Gap with Competitors
WhatsApp has launched an appleโ Watch app,extending its functionality beyond iPhone and iPad and addressing a long-standing โคuser request. While the initial release offers notification viewing, replying to messages via dictation, emojis, or swift replies, and access to images, stickers, and chatโข history,โข it currently lacks the ability to initiate new chats or make calls directly from the watch. meta, the parent company, has โpromised future updates, butโฃ a specific timeline remains unconfirmed.
This launch follows the arrival of a native whatsapp app for โฃiPad in May, after a nearly two-year beta period. A key distinction between the iPad and Watch apps lies in the iPad version’s “companion Mode.” โคThis allows the iPad โapp to connect directly to WhatsApp servers independently ofโ the iPhone,โข even when the smartphone is powered off. The โiPad app leverages the largerโข screen โwith features like Split View, Slide Over, and Stage Manager for multitasking, alongside Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard support, and facilitates video and audio callsโฃ withโ upโ to 32 participants.
For years, WhatsApp trailed competitors like Telegram and iMessage in providing a seamless experience across Apple devices. This delay stemmed from the original end-to-end encryption being tied to a phone number and device, necessitating a complex new multi-device architecture.โฃ Thisโ architecture now allows up to four devices to connect to a โsingle account independently and securely.
Looking ahead, Meta plans to prioritize adding the ability to start new chats andโค make calls directly โฃfrom the Apple Watch. the iPad app will see integration of features like Channels and expanded Community features to better utilizeโค theโค larger display. The company’s broader cross-device strategy is gaining momentum, raisingโข the question of which platform WhatsApp will target next.
Notably, users utilizing WhatsApp across multiple devices (iPad, iPhone, โคand Watch) are encouraged to review their data protection settings. A resource promoting secure account setup on multipleโฃ devices, number โขhiding,โฃ and secret chats โฃis available via Telegram, offering an alternative โขperspective on privacyโ within cross-platform messaging.
