WhatsApp on Tuesday launched a companion app for the Apple Watch that allows users to see notifications, read messages, send and record voice messages without having to use their iPhone.
The company said in a blog post: “This new experience will help you stay on top of your chats without having to take out your iPhone. In addition to reading and responding to messages, WhatsApp on Apple Watch now supports frequently requested features for the first time.”
What can the WhatsApp Apple Watch app do?
WhatsApp says users can see call notifications, read full messages (even the longer ones), and record and send voice messages right from their wrist. Users will also be able to respond to messages with emojis, just like with the full-fledged app on the iPhone.
Meta's app says users can also see clearer images and stickers on their Apple Watch. They can also access the chat history of the person they are talking to directly on the Apple Watch.
Like the phone app and the web version of WhatsApp, all messages and calls remain end-to-end encrypted in the companion Apple Watch app.
To use the new WhatsApp Apple Watch app, users will need an Apple Watch Series 4 or later edition running watchOS 10 or later.
While the news of WhatsApp introducing an Apple Watch app comes as a surprise, it's not entirely unprecedented given the increasing focus the company has shown on the Apple ecosystem this year. Earlier this year, WhatsApp finally released a long-awaited app for the iPad, eliminating the need for users to switch to the web version of the personal messaging platform.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp's rival Snapchat had also launched an app for the Apple Watch earlier this year, allowing users to view notifications, type messages and send voice notes on their wrist. However, the Snapchat app has limited functionality compared to the WhatsApp app, with no ability to view Snaps or images and limited chat history.
The WhatsApp app also lacks some key features, such as voice or video calling, or the ability to create new chats or view status updates.
