WhatsApp Releases Redesigned Mac App With Support for Group Calls

[MacRumors]

Meta today released its overhauled WhatsApp app for macOS, introducing support for group calls, dragging and dropping files, and more.

The new native Mac app is optimized for large displays and desktop-class experiences like dragging and dropping files into chats and viewing more messages in chat histories. It also touts better performance and supports WhatsApp group calls from macOS for the first time, supporting up to eight people on video calls and up to 32 people on audio calls. Users can join a group call after it has started, see their call history, and choose to receive incoming call notifications even when the app is closed.

The new WhatsApp experience debuted on Windows earlier this year. Following a lengthy beta testing period, the native Mac app is now available to download from whatsapp.com and will soon be released on the Mac App Store.

Article Link: WhatsApp Releases Redesigned Mac App With Support for Group Calls

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

While I don't have any intention to use WhatsApp, it's good to see developers realise that native apps are the way to go.

Non-native apps like MS Teams, Slack, Discord, etc, all come with performance and usability costs. Hopefully more devs catch on to this.

 

[Marbles1]

On a related point, WhatsApp being absent from the iPad feels like part of technology culture now.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I installed What’sApp on my M1 when I just got it and like within 6 months it got corrupted. Tried everything fix it and gave up. I just use it on my iPhone and occasionally on Windows.

 

[eilavid]

Almost 3 years after the release of M1, the app is finally Apple silicon native

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Where is the iPad App for WhatsApp?

 

[BigBag]

Awesome. Now can I please please please get an iPad app to match?

 

[ipedro]

Totally superficial but the dumb pun in WhatsApp's name has always made me cringe. I wish they'd rebrand it to Messenger and merge with Facebook Messenger which is already interoperable with Instagram DMs. Even the icon is much nicer.

 

[thislsmadness]

If this native version is anything like the overhauled windows version from earlier in the year, its nothing to celebrate.

 

[JackNL]

I think I'll stick with the browser version. I can't get past by the feeling that the app gathers as much data as it can get and sents it directly to Mark.

 

[blazerunner]

Nice, it's looking really slick.

 

[ipedro]

On a related point, WhatsApp being absent from the iPad feels like part of technology culture now.

Adam Mosseri on Threads made a joke to this point. Zuckerberg knows that he needs Apple so he won't go into a full Tim Sweeney-like Epic war with Apple, but holding back iPad apps seems to intentionally be his perpetual rock in Tim Cook's shoe.

 

[RammyXX]

Requires macOS 11.0 and higher. 😥

 

[Kylo83]

Only took them 3 years the beta was over a year

 

[gpat]

As soon as Sonoma comes out, I'm trashing out every one of these trash apps and swapping to their webapp equivalent.
God bless new Safari.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

I never understood why people want to show their faces during a phone call. Most people are not beautiful enough that seeing their face ads any value to a conversation.

 

[eilavid]

I think I'll stick with the browser version. I can't get past by the feeling that the app gathers as much data as it can get and sents it directly to Mark.

As soon as Sonoma comes out, I'm trashing out every one of these trash apps and swapping to their webapp equivalent.
God bless new Safari.

New app is actually good. I have multiple chats open, and memory usage is 94 MB. Seems to be using SwiftUI. Surprisingly fast and fluid. No electron/chrome/webkit mess like all these other "apps" (discord, teams).
Even having this app stopped with Command+Q, I still receive notifications. Props to the devs.

 

[R3k]

Been using the Beta, this is very much superior in performance on Apple Silicone than the older version.

 

[alexandr]

Where is the iPad App for WhatsApp?

‎WhatsApp Desktop

‎With WhatsApp on the desktop, you can seamlessly sync all of your chats to your computer so that you can chat on whatever device is most convenient for you.

apps.apple.com

 

[dumastudetto]

I never understood why people want to show their faces during a phone call. Most people are not beautiful enough that seeing their face ads any value to a conversation.

Being able to evaluate facial expressions in conversation can be at least as insightful as the words, often more.

 

[DaPizzaMan]

‎WhatsApp Desktop

‎With WhatsApp on the desktop, you can seamlessly sync all of your chats to your computer so that you can chat on whatever device is most convenient for you.

apps.apple.com

That's not an iPad app.

 

[alexandr]

That's not an iPad app.

Oh god, I missed 'iPad')))

 

[fwmireault]

The missing iPad app is really annoying, especially for a messaging app. They could at the very least make the iPhone app available on iPad. The web experience is poor and I'm constantly disconnected from the app. Hopefully they will bring the native macOS app to iPad in the near future.

Now I'd also like a watchOS app but I know it will never happen.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Totally superficial but the dumb pun in WhatsApp's name has always made me cringe. I wish they'd rebrand it to Messenger and merge with Facebook Messenger which is already interoperable with Instagram DMs. Even the icon is much nicer.


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WhatsApp has a lot more brand recognition in areas where it's popular, and it's been around a lot longer. If anything, messenger should merge into WhatsApp.

I only use WhatsApp when travelling, and to keep in touch with some foreign exchange students that we have hosted over the years, but it's a nicer app than Messenger and I wish it was more popular here.

 

[schneeland]

Where is the iPad App for WhatsApp?

There has to be a general rule that no useful app can ever be published for the iPad. It's probably the second rule of the Meta club.