Following the release of the WhatsApp app for Wear OS devices a couple of years ago, Meta is finally working on a version for Apple Watch models. With that, Mark Zuckerberg’s company is bringing one of the most awaited apps to Apple’s smartwatches.
TestFlight version 25.32.10 of WhatsApp for iOS includes a test build for the company’s watches. At this moment, users can send quick replies, react, dictate an answer, and scroll through a few messages. Notifications are still available, but now they’re not the only way you can interact with WhatsApp.
However, this is still a very limited version of the app. Currently, users need to have their iPhone nearby, otherwise they won’t be able to see the messages. It’s unclear if in the upcoming builds, WhatsApp will offer a more independent way of using the platform. Still, it’s an important first step for Apple Watch users who have been waiting for this app for a long time.
Meta has changed its approach to Apple devices positively
Over the past few years, Meta has been checking several boxes of features that users really wanted. Multi-device compatibility has been available for a while; as of this year, users can take advantage of Instagram and WhatsApp on iPad; and now an Apple Watch app of WhatsApp is in the works.
While it’s still very limited and doesn’t even let users start a new chat or search for contacts, it’s very likely that, in the future, the app will gain more features from the iPhone app. Even though you shouldn’t expect to view Status updates from the tiny screen, it’s possible that the app will eventually work even when you don’t have your iPhone around.
Meta took a few years to implement these changes, but it’s now moving at a faster pace to offer its apps to more users on different platforms. Besides that, the company keeps working on multi-account support for WhatsApp on iOS. However, a release date is still unclear.
