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WhatsApp finally brings messages, voice notes and calls to Apple Watch

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Whatsapp for Apple Watch
A dedicated WhatsApp for Apple Watch is finally here.
Photo: Meta

A decade after Apple Watch launched, WhatsApp finally launched a dedicated app for the smartwatch Tuesday — ending years of frustration for users who could only respond to notifications from their wrist. The messaging service brings full chat functionality to your wrist with support for messages, voice notes and calls, Meta said. 

WhatsApp tests long-awaited Apple Watch app

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WhatsApp on Apple Watch is finally happening
WhatsApp on Apple Watch is finally happening
Mockup: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

A decade after the first Apple Watch came out, WhatsApp is testing a dedicated app for the smartwatch. This would make replying to messages, viewing existing conversations, and sharing voice notes easier.

Currently, Apple Watch users can only respond to unread WhatsApp messages through the notification center. There’s no way to do anything else.

WhatsApp for iPhone finally adds built-in translation for 21 languages

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WhatsApp gets a native translate tool.
Translate messages natively in WhatsApp.
Photo: WhatsApp/Rajesh Pandey /CultOfMac

Meta began rolling out in-app translation support Tuesday for WhatsApp on iPhone. In its initial phase, the feature supports 21 languages, making it easier for users to chat with their loved ones without worrying about language barriers.

Keeping security and privacy in mind, the translations happen on-device, ensuring the messages remain private.

WhatsApp now plays nice with iPhone Live Photos

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Live Photos WhatsApp
You can now share Live Photos on WhatsApp.
Photo: WhatsApp/Rajesh Pandey/Cult Of Mac

WhatsApp now supports sharing Live Photos. The feature began rolling out a few days ago, and Meta officially confirmed its release in an announcement on September 29.

With this improvement, you can directly share Live Photos with your friends over WhatsApp without converting them into GIFs or videos first.

WhatsApp makes cross-language chatting easier than ever

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Translation feature in WhatsApp
WhatsApp can now help you break the language barrier.
Photo: WhatsApp blog

Taking a cue from the iPhone’s Messages app, Meta is adding message translations to WhatsApp. With this feature, you can directly translate chats in a conversation into a familiar language.

At launch, the translate tool will support over 19 languages on the iPhone. 

The wait is over: WhatsApp launches on the iPad

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WhatsApp for iPad
WhatsApp for iPad is finally here.
Screenshot: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

After years of waiting, WhatsApp finally landed on the iPad on Tuesday. You can now use Meta’s popular messaging service on your iPad alongside other devices.

Like on the Mac, WhatsApp’s iPad app won’t let you register with a new number. It functions solely as a companion device linked to a primary phone.

Meta keeps Apple’s AI out of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp

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You cannot use Writing Tools in Meta apps on iPhone and Mac.
Another petty move from Meta.
Logo/Graphics: Apple/Meta/Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

Despite its flaws, Apple Intelligence packs some useful features. Among them, Writing Tools lets you rewrite, summarize, and proofread text using AI.

Sadly, you cannot use Writing Tools to draft your Facebook posts or WhatsApp chats, as Meta blocks the use of this feature in its apps.

WhatsApp can now replace your iPhone’s default Phone and Messages apps

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Set WhatsApp as default calling and texting app on your iPhone.
But will you do it?
Screenshot: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

For the first time on an iPhone, you can set WhatsApp as the default calling and messaging app. The feature remains exclusive to the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS, but should soon expand to the public build.

WhatsApp is the first major app to adopt the necessary APIs, enabling you to replace Apple’s Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone.

WhatsApp for iPhone takes a big step toward multi-account support

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WhatsApp logo
You could soon use two WhatsApp accounts simultaneously on your iPhone.
Image: WhatsApp

Meta is working on addressing a major limitation of WhatsApp for iPhone: the lack of multi-account support. A new beta update of the app adds support for using multiple accounts within the app.

WhatsApp for Android gained multi-account support in October 2023. However, the feature never made it to the app’s iPhone version.

Your WhatsApp calling experience is getting an upgrade

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WhatsApp calling improvements
Voice and video calling in WhatsApp is about to get much better.
Photo: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is rolling out some much-needed video and voice calling improvements to improve the experience. These include new video effects, improved video call quality, and more.

Thanks to WhatsApp’s popularity, it is used to make over 2 billion calls daily. So, these improvements should benefit a wide section of users.

WhatsApp finally supports voice message transcription

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Voice message transcription in WhatsApp
WhatsApp finally gets voice message transcription
Photo: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is taking a cue from iMessage and finally adding support for voice message transcripts. This will allow the app to show transcriptions of voice notes when you cannot listen to the audio itself.

Meta beta test voice message transcription in WhatsApp for over a year before rolling it out to the public.

WhatsApp surpasses 100 million monthly active users in the US

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WhatsApp logo
WhatsApp is becoming a viable iMessage alternative in the US.
Image: WhatsApp

WhatsApp announced today that it has reached 100 million monthly active users in the US. This comes just a few months after the messaging service revealed that it is seeing double-digit growth in the US.

Despite over two billion people using WhatsApp worldwide, it has a limited US presence. However, the Meta-owned company has been working on expanding its presence in the region.

WhatsApp video calls are about to get much better

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WhatsApp gets much-needed calling improvements
WhatsApp video and voice calls get a quality boost.
Photo: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is introducing key improvements to video (and voice) calling on its platform for a better experience. As part of the upgrade, you can now share audio while screen sharing.

Another notable change is having group video calls with up to 32 participants on your phone or desktop. This is the same limit as FaceTime.

WhatsApp for iPhone gains passkey support

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WhatsApp logo
Passkey support finally comes to WhatsApp for iPhone.
Image: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is making it easier to log into your account on your iPhone with passkey support. The feature will allow you to verify your identity through Face ID, Touch ID, or device PIN.

Once you have set up a passkey for your WhatsApp account, you can set up the app on a new iPhone through biometric authentication, skipping the SMS code entirely.

Apple pulls WhatsApp and Threads from China’s App Store

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Apple Store logo in Chengdu, China with two people standing in front of it
WhatsApp and Threads are no longer available for download in China's App Store.
Photo: Unsplash

Following a request from the Chinese government, Apple has reportedly pulled WhatsApp and Threads from China’s App Store. Other Meta apps, like Facebook and Instagram, are still available for download in the country.

The Cyberspace Administration of China asked Apple to take down the two Meta apps, citing national security concerns.

WhatsApp rolls out Chat Filters to help you tame your inbox

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Chat Filters in WhatsApp
Chat Filters will make managing your WhatsApp inbox a lot easier.
Photo: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is rolling out Chat Filters to make it easier to follow up on unread conversations. These filters allow you to swiftly go through your inbox based on unread messages or group conversations.

As WhatsApp has grown in popularity, so has the number of people and brands reaching out to you on the service. This means you’re more likely to miss out on an important message, which Chat Filters can help avoid.

WhatsApp native iPad app takes a big step toward launch

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WhatsApp logo
WhatsApp's native iPad app could arrive soon.
Image: WhatsApp

Meta’s regular updates have made WhatsApp a better iMessage competitor. But the lack of an iPad app has always been the Achilles heel of the messaging service.

This could soon change as WhatsApp’s long-rumored iPad app is finally available, at least in beta.

WhatsApp becomes true FaceTime rival with new Mac app

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WhatsApp for Mac
WhatsApp's native Mac app makes using the messaging service a lot easier.
Photo: WhatsApp

WhatsApp just got a native Mac app that delivers a vastly superior experience than the current Electron-based app. It also supports up to eight people on video calls and 32 on audio calls.

Released Tuesday, WhatsApp’s new native Mac app makes it a better FaceTime alternative, as you can access almost the same set of features across your PC and phone.

You can now use the same WhatsApp account on multiple iPhones

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WhatsApp for iPhone gets Companion mode
Grab the latest WhatsApp for iPhone release to enjoy using Companion mode.
Image: Cult of Mac

You can now use your WhatsApp account on multiple devices. After rolling out Companion mode on WhatsApp for Android, the Meta-owned platform has made the feature available on iPhones.

WhatsApp initially announced Companion mode in late April 2023. But the feature was only available for Android users so far.

WhatsApp finally lets you edit sent messages

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Message editing comes to WhatsApp
You have 15 minutes to edit your WhatsApp message.
Image: WhatsApp

Meta’s popular messaging service, WhatsApp, is bringing an iMessage-like editing feature. You can now edit your WhatsApp messages for up to 15 minutes after sending them.

Apple introduced similar message-editing capabilities to iMessage with iOS 16. However, WhatsApp’s message editing implementation differs from iMessage in many ways.

WhatsApp may let you transfer chat history between iPhones sans iCloud

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WhatsApp logo
WhatsApp's 'Transfer Chats to iPhone' tool will bypass iCloud for chat migration.
Image: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is working on allowing you to transfer your chat history from one iPhone to another without iCloud. A local transfer tool will make WhatsApp chat migration faster and easier.

Currently, your WhatsApp history must be backed up to iCloud before it is transferrable to another device. This is a time-consuming process and also requires you to have enough free space in your iCloud account.

iMessage vs. WhatsApp: Why Apple can’t win the global messaging war

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iMessage vs. WhatsApp comparison
iMessage has its advantages, but WhatsApp is a better communication tool.
Graphics: Rajesh/WhatsApp/Apple

Apple heavily pushes iMessage as the best messaging app on iPhone. However, WhatsApp reigns as the world’s most popular messaging service, with more than 2 billion daily users.

What makes WhatsApp so popular? Should you ditch iMessage and switch to WhatsApp for a superior chatting experience? Find out in this comparison.

WhatsApp’s native Apple silicon Mac app in beta gets a wider release

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WhatsApp logo
WhatsApp's native Apple silicon app is one step closer to release.
Image: WhatsApp

WhatsApp’s beta Apple Silicon Mac app is now available for download to the public through its website. The company has been beta testing its native Mac app through TestFlight for the last few months.

The new app provides a notably better user experience than the existing app of the messaging service. And since it is a native app, it performs much better as well.