WhatsApp

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on WhatsApp:

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.

WhatsApp for iPhone finally getting picture-in-picture support

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WhatsApp is getting some major call improvements, including support for up to 32 people group video calls.
WhatsApp's video and voice calling experience is about to get a lot better.
Photo: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is finally catching up to FaceTime and adding support for video calls with up to 32 participants. You can also mute or message an individual on a group call.

Up until now, you could use WhatsApp for group voice calls with 32 people. Video calls were limited to 8 people.

And support for Picture-in-Picture is in testing.

WhatsApp finally adds emoji reactions and features for groups

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At first, WhatsApp users will have just six emojis to choose from.
At first, WhatsApp users will have just six emojis to choose from.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Looks like secure chat client WhatsApp just got a little livelier. Its long-promised emoji-based Reactions and newly developed Communities features for organizations rolled out on Thursday.

Users will have six emojis to play with to start. And in addition to new Communities, WhatsApp’s Groups functionality gets a revamp, too.

WhatsApp plans big improvements to voice messaging ‘in the coming weeks’

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WhatsApp voice messaging improvements
Faster playback, the ability to pause recordings, and more on the way.
Image: WhatsApp

WhatsApp on Thursday revealed significant improvements to voice messaging across Android and iOS. The update adds the ability to change the speed of audio playback, pause and resume recording, and more.

It also allows voice message playback to continue when users back out of a conversation to catch up with another. Users can look forward to seeing the changes “in the coming weeks,” WhatsApp said.

WhatsApp tests major increase to file size limits

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WhatsApp on iPad
It's still in the early beta stages for now.
Photo: WhatsApp/Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WhatsApp could soon let mobile users send significantly larger files by message. The platform’s current file size limit is a meager 100MB, but some beta testers have seen that limit increase to a generous 2GB.

Only a limited number of users can take advantage of the change for now. But the hope is that WhatsApp will eventually make the new limit available to all.

WhatsApp now continues to play voice messages while you do other things

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WhatsApp logo
WhatsApp embraces iOS 15.
Image: WhatsApp

WhatsApp for iPhone just got a big improvement to voice messaging that means you no longer have to put other replies on hold. The app now continues to play a voice message you’ve already started even if you jump into another chat.

It’s part of a bunch of improvements WhatsApp plans for audio notes, which also include the ability to replay a message you’ve recorded before sending it.

MobileTrans lets you easily transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone

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Wondershare's MobileTrans-WhatsApp Transfer makes it easy to move the app to a new device.
MobileTrans - WhatsApp Transfer makes it easy to move the popular messaging app to a new device.
Screenshot: Wondershare

This WhatsApp transfer post is presented by Wondershare.

When you get a new device and transfer your WhatsApp account to it — let’s say you’re switching from an Android device to a new iPhone 13 — you might be surprised there’s no automatic way to do it when two different operating systems are involved.

Thankfully, MobileTrans makes it easy to do WhatsApp transfer, backup and restore operations. And it works even when you’re moving your WhatsApp chats from one operating system to another.

WhatsApp plans emoji message reactions for iPhone

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WhatsApp message reactions
It looks like users will have six emoji to choose from.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WhatsApp is readying message reactions on iOS and Android that will roll out in a future app update. Screenshots of the feature have appeared ahead of its release, showing the ability to react to messages with select emoji.

It’s much like the message reactions feature already available to iPhone users inside iMessage. WhatsApp seems to be following Apple’s lead by only making certain emoji available, rather than allowing all of them, like Instagram.

WhatsApp chief says company ‘would love’ to deliver an iPad app

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WhatsApp on iPad
Is WhatsApp for iPad looking more likely than ever before?
Image: WhatsApp/Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart has revealed that the company “would love” to deliver a native iPad app after acknowledging that users have been waiting for it for a long time.

WhatsApp is one of the only major messaging platforms that doesn’t offer a tablet app for iPad or Android. But Cathcart says “the underlying technology is there” now that WhatsApp offers proper multi-device support.

WhatsApp adds support for Focus mode, notification photos in iOS 15

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WhatsApp logo
WhatsApp embraces iOS 15.
Image: WhatsApp

The latest WhatsApp update on iPhone brings a number of neat improvements for those who have updated to iOS 15. The app is now fully compatible with Focus mode, while contact photos now appear in notifications.

WhatsApp has also made it possible to pause and resume while recording voice messages. The version 22.2.75 is now available to all, though it could be a few weeks before the improvements are rolled out to everyone.

WhatsApp prepares two-step verification for desktop and web apps

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WhatsApp two-step verification
Making it more difficult for others to get into your account.
Image: WABetaInfo

WhatsApp is preparing to greatly increase the security of its desktop and web apps by adding two-step verification during the sign-in process.

Users will be prompted to create a six-digit PIN as an additional layer of protection for their account. They will then enter this when registering their phone number with WhatsApp again — like when signing in on other devices.

UK plans dramatic ‘publicity attack’ against encryption

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UK steps up fight against encryption
It will use children for dramatic anti-encryption stunts.
Photo: Markus Spiske/Unsplash

The U.K. will spend taxpayer money on a dramatic “publicity attack” against end-to-end encryption, according to a new report. The country apparently hopes to sway public opinion before taking further steps to crack down on the security feature.

A major focus of the campaign will be child safety. M&C Saatchi, the agency hired to run the marketing blitz, reportedly will use child actors to carry out emotive stunts that suggest encryption is being used by predators to conceal their activities.

WhatsApp is adding contact photos to notifications on iPhone

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WhatsApp contact photos in iPhone notifications
The feature is already in testing.
Image: WABetaInfo/Cult of Mac

A future WhatsApp update will bring contact photos to your notifications on iPhone. The feature, which requires iOS 15 or later, is already being tested among beta users in version 2.22.1.1 of the app.

This is just one of many improvements WhatsApp has started working on for its iPhone app. Others include revamped contact pages, and a Community feature that gives admins more control over their groups.

WhatsApp said to be developing new Catalyst app for iPad and Mac

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WhatsApp Catalyst app for iPad
It still doesn't have a release date yet.
Photo: WABetaInfo

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new app that will work on both iPad and Mac. It’s thought to take advantage of Apple’s Catalyst platform, which makes it easier for developers to build universal applications.

The popular messaging service is already available on macOS, but this would be the first native WhatsApp client for iPad. WhatsApp has already started rolling out improved multi-device support that is less reliant on a smartphone.

WhatsApp rolls out multi-device support to all iPhone users

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WhatsApp multi-device beta
Activate the beta today.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WhatsApp’s handy multi-device feature is now rolling out to all users on Android and iPhone, making it easier to access your messages on other devices. The upgrade finally makes WhatsApp a little less reliant on your smartphone.

Sadly, multi-device support still does not allow you to use WhatsApp on two different smartphones — like you can with rival messaging services.

WhatsApp rolls out encrypted chat backups on iPhone

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WhatsApp encrypted chat backup
Ensuring only you have access to your chat data.
Image: WhatsApp

WhatsApp’s encrypted backups features is now rolling out on iPhone. Users can create a password to prevent unauthorized access to their chat data, while still uploading it to iCloud or Google Drive for their convenience.

The feature ensures that your WhatsApp chats are protected, even if the backup file itself somehow makes it into the wrong hands.

Facebook’s 6-hour outage is the result of one small slip-up

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Facebook outage
Oops.
Photo: Sofitel/Flickr/Cult of Mac

“A faulty configuration change.” That’s all it takes to bring three of the world’s biggest social platforms to their knees for more than six hours, according to an apology issued by Facebook after Monday’s disastrous outage.

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp became unavailable worldwide between approximately 9:15 a.m. PDT and 3:30 p.m. PDT on October 4. Facebook said it has no reason to believe user data was compromised during this time.