Early last year WhatsApp introduced WhatsApp Web to give flexibility to use the application on a desktop with an internet browser. The service was lauded by users whose smartphones were not powerful enough to have WhatsApp working smoothly, and the service has been growing every month.
After introducing a host of features this year, WhatsApp has launched its desktop app for Mac and Windows users. This gives you full connectivity from smartphone, tablet to desktop computers, irrespective of location.
The desktop version looks exactly like the Web version of WhatsApp, it mirrors the conversations and contacts like it does in the WhatsApp mobile app. In fact, the welcome screen of the desktop app is the same as WhatsApp Web and can be used in the exact same fashion.
The official WhatsApp blog read, “The new desktop app is available for Windows 8+ and Mac OS 10.9+ and is synced with WhatsApp on your mobile device. Because the app runs natively on your desktop, you’ll have support for native desktop notifications, better keyboard shortcuts, and more.”
How to get the application and use it
The desktop app can be downloaded from WhatsApp’s website for Windows and Mac users. It’s a bummer that the application is not available for Windows XP, Vista and 7 users, which still forms a major part of the Windows OS Ecosystem. According to Statista, over 45 percent users are still on Windows 7 or older versions!
Once the app has been downloaded, open it and you’ll realise this territory is quite familiar. The app has the same functionality as that of the Web version, so all you need to do is go to ‘WhatsApp Web’ option in your smartphone app’s settings and scan the QR code you see on the screen.
Upon scanning and approval, WhatsApp will pair your smartphone’s app with the desktop app. Technically it’s like using Facebook on Web or Facebook’s app. However, in this case, the difference is not much, except you’re not using a browser anymore.
And you will need to keep you phone connected as desktop essentially syncs with mobile app – so, unless WhatsApp on your mobile is not connected, you will not be able to use the desktop app!
When WhatsApp announced this desktop version launch, we were hoping to see the desktop app completely isolated, yet synced with the smartphone app. What we have now is just an extension to WhatsApp Web, which might not be an instant hit with the generation.
Now that it is mandatory to have WhatsApp on smartphone to use WhatsApp on desktop, we feel WhatsApp wants to ensure its smartphone app does not get eliminated completely. Which should not be the case because consumers prefer smartphones over chunky tablets and computers.
[…] introducing a host of features this year, WhatsApp has launched its desktop app for Mac and Windows users. This gives you full connectivity from smartphone, tablet to desktop computers, irrespective of […]