What you need to know
- WhatsApp could finally be makings its way to the iPad and Mac.
- A noted leaker and WABetainfo continue to reaffirm native apps for the two products are on the way.
- More so, WhatsApp is also trying to become a multi-platform service just like Apple's Messages.
Even though WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging services in the world and has been around for years, it still does not support native apps for the iPad or Mac. That could be changing real soon according to a leaker (via 9to5Mac).
Currently, WhatsApp only functions on Apple products by using the iPhone's phone number as the root of the account. So if you want to use it on the iPad or Mac, it's not really possible. There are some third party app that use a relay through web-based API, but it's mostly a janky workaround, not the real deal.
However, with real first party apps, users could use the same account on multiple devices. Even better, they could use the same accoun not just for a single platform like iOS or Android, but multiple ones.
WABetainfo states that WhatsApp is on its way to become a full-fledged multi-platform service that works on multiple devices like Apple's own Messages.
Of course, none of this is set in stone as WhatsApp hasn't rolled out the multi-platform support, but the rumors are getting louder of it happening real soon. A big hurdle WhatsApp could be trying to get around is the end-to-end encryption it offers. It's easier to offer this with a limited number of devices, but once you expand to multi-platform, this gets a lot trickier.
We'll keep an eye out to see if WhatsApp does roll out a real first-party app for the iPad and Mac and usher in the dream of multi-platform support. It's something users have been waiting for a long time.
