Right now, there's a native WhatsApp app for laptops and PCs running Windows. It has quite a lot of features and looks pretty good. But apparently, the app may become worse because of a decision by Meta for its future development.
Meta has hinted that the native WhatsApp app for Windows will no longer be available, and it will switch to a web wrapper. That is basically a web app that is packaged to look like a Windows app.
The latest beta of WhatsApp includes some of the major changes that are probably going to come soon to the stable version of the app.
For one, the app will look different from what it did before, and unfortunately (at least for now), it may be working more slowly. It is possible that it also consumes more RAM, and on top of it all, the notifications won't be as good as they are on a native Windows app.
Image Credit - Meta
Luckily, it's not just bad news. The web-based app will also reportedly bring one new feature, Channels. With that version of the app, Channels will be accessible on your Windows PC or laptop. Also, more functionality for Status and Communications is also likely to come with the web-based app.
How do you feel about WhatsApp for Windows switching to a web wrapper?
I'm fine with it — no big deal
11.11%
I prefer native apps — not happy
55.56%
Depends on performance and features
22.22%
I don’t use WhatsApp on PC
11.11%
WhatsApp's native Windows app launched back in 2022. Meanwhile, the web version is likely going to be easier to maintain for Meta, so that's probably one of the reasons why the tech giant has decided to replace it. This would mean one less platform to maintain for bugs.
Meanwhile, it's also likely that the higher RAM usage and somewhat slow performance could be ironed out by the company before the stable release of the web-based app. We'll have to wait and see to know for sure.
Meta has not specified when the change will occur just yet.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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