You will finally be able to reply to WhatsApp messages from an iPad.
Meta announced this afternoon that they are fulfilling one of their ‘biggest requests’ and letting people download the app on the larger device.
While it has technically been possible to use WhatsApp on an iPad before now, it required having to sign in on a browser.
Discussions of an iPad app have been going on for years, and now the wait is over.
The app is now available to download, and can be easily linked with a phone to get notifications on both devices.
It comes after the company dropped several massive hints, including the side eye emoji alongside someone’s post reading ‘they should add WhatsApp on iPad’.
It’s a big step, given that Meta, which also includes Facebook and Instagram, hasn’t seemed especially pressed to make their platforms easily accessible on iPad.
Instagram still does not have a dedicated iPad app, although one is reported to also be in the works.
Meta said in a blog post: ‘Bringing all your favorite features to a larger screen, WhatsApp for iPad makes keeping in touch with friends and family even easier. Make video and audio calls with up to 32 people, share your screen, and use both front and back cameras.
‘This is only the start for WhatsApp on iPad, and we look forward to your feedback.’
It comes after an app was also released for Mac, offering easy group video calls.
Meta said features available on the new WhatsApp app will make it ‘ideal for multitasking’, including ‘Stage Manager*, Split View, and Slide Over to view multiple apps at once’ so you can look up other things while messaging.
The app will also work with Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil.
They continued: ‘WhatsApp for iPad uses our industry leading multi-device technology to keep everything in sync across your iPhone, Mac and other devices while protecting your personal messages, calls and media with end-to-end encryption, no matter what platform or device you’re messaging.
‘Our extra layers of privacy, such as chat lock, mean that you can have private conversations in confidence even if you share your iPad with others.’
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