WhatsApp has confirmed the release of a big new update that finally brings its chat service to the Apple Watch.
New WhatsApp app coming to Apple Watch(Image: WHATSAPP)
It’s been a very long time coming, but WhatsApp users are finally getting a ‘big upgrade’. The Meta-owned chat platform has just confirmed that it is finally launching a dedicated app for the Apple Watch, which will make it far easier to send messages and reply to friends without having to reach for a smartphone.
The Apple Watch has supported WhatsApp notifications for several years, but the overall functionality has been extremely limited. For example, right now you’ll only see a snippet of a message rather than being able to read the whole thing.
Luckily, that’s all now changed with the new software working just like it does on smartphones, tablets and PCs. That means users can see full messages, reply with quick emojis and even send voice memos.
WhatsApp says that the update will offer a “new experience” that will help you “stay on top of your chats without needing to pull out your iPhone ”.
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HERE ARE ALL THE NEW FEATURES
• Call notifications: You can see who’s calling without needing to look at your iPhone.
• Full messages: You can read full WhatsApp messages on Apple Watch — even long messages are visible directly from your wrist.
• Voice messages: You can now record and send voice messages.
• React to messages: We’ve added the ability to send quick emoji reactions to messages you receive.
ª A great media experience: You’ll see clear images and stickers on your Apple Watch.
• Chat history: You can see more of your chat history on screen when reading messages.
“This is just the start of making WhatsApp on your Apple Watch an even better experience,” WhatsApp said in a blog post.
“As always, your personal messages and calls remain private with end-to-end encryption. We look forward to delivering even more useful functionality for people with Apple Watch in the future.”
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The only thing to note about this release is that the new WhatsApp Apple Watch app requires an Apple Watch Series 4 or later, running watchOS 10 or later.
Mirror Online has just checked and the app hasn’t yet arrived but we are expecting a release in the coming days.
