Desktop Apps From WhatsApp For Mac, Windows

A standalone app, it opens new possibilities for WhatsApp.

The world’s most popular and most used messaging app, WhatsApp, has introduced a fully functional desktop app — both for Mac and Windows platform. This follows in the footsteps of WhatsApp Web which was introduced around 15 months ago.

WhatsApp in its blog post introduced and explained about this new extension in the following manner: “We’re introducing a desktop app so you have a new way to stay in touch anytime and anywhere — whether on your phone or computer at home or work. Like WhatsApp Web, our desktop app is simply an extension of your phone: the app mirrors conversations and messages from your mobile device…Because the app runs natively on your desktop, you’ll have support for native desktop notifications, better keyboard shortcuts, and more”.

That’s like bringing a lot of functionality at one place. Isn’t it?

This all-new desktop app of WhatsApp is compatible with Windows 8+ and Mac OS 10.9+, and can be easily synced with WhatsApp on Your mobile device.

Installing the desktop version of this app is an easy-peasy task.

All you need to do is first install the app onto your desktop. After having done that, you will have to scan a QR code using the WhatsApp messenger that you already have on your smartphone.
The feature can be found under Settings > WhatsApp Web.

Once the QR code is recognised, your account will be authenticated and ready for use at the desktop. What this will do is that your phone will be connected to the desktop version of WhatsApp; the messages would be synced and quite a bit of data can be transmitted between the two.

It is advisable by the company that the users should connect their phone to Wi-Fi during this process.

WhatsApp Desktop version allows you to stay in touch with your friends and family even when your phone stays in your pocket, just like WhatsApp Web.

What this new extension ensures is that the service becomes more accessible, so as to drive even more affinity to the platform.

The desktop app is at its core, the same as the mobile version, particularly the one that was launched in August.You can easily find your contacts and attach emojis or files to your messages, with much the same convenience as you do on your smartphone.
Besides this, voice dictation is also possible.

With the onset of this desktop app, WhatsApp joins its cousin Facebook Messenger, whose standalone version of its service for the Web and PC’s has already been launched.

The question arises — Why WhatsApp desktop app when WhatsApp Web was already out there?

Of course, we know that the two are different in that the desktop app is a standalone app that runs natively on the desktop instead of on a specific browser. But when viewed strategically, there could be two possible reasons behind this move.

First, perhaps WhatsApp wanted to be at par with its competitors like Facebook Messenger, Skype, WeChat, Slack and Telegram.
A desktop app certainly makes it easier and quicker for users to communicate with their business associates, friends, near and dear ones, all at one place, leaving behind the hassle of going to email.

WhatsApp’s desktop app might pose as a potential competition to Slack which has so far done well in business circles. This is because many businesses and organizations might prefer the group chat feature of WhatsApp.

Where WhatsApp might suffer a setback when compared to Slack, is at the point of the the risk of business officials mixing personal communication with formal communication in case of WhatsApp desktop app where friends, family and business associates all are at one place.

Secondly, the launch of new desktop app along with the recent end-to-end encryption of messages is a step ahead on the path of the much-needed new sources for revenue, after the Facebook-owned company decided to let go off the 99 cent annual subscription fee.

WhatsApp it seems is all set to catch up with its competitors like Skype, Slack, and Facebook Messenger with this new desktop app for Mac and Windows while at the same time providing functionality and convenience to its beloved users.

Originally published at Chip-Monks.