A big leak has revealed that Facebook is working on a new WhatsApp experience which will let you use the same account to multiple phones, as well as install true standalone WhatsApp apps on multiple devices including iPads, Macs, and Windows OCs. You can already enjoy WhatsApp on computers, but not using full-fledged apps, and they require a connection to the main WhatsApp app, which usually resides on a phone.
WhatsApp has never been a true multi-platform chat app since it was always linked to one’s phone number, rather than to an account that could be deployed across devices, regardless of the operating system. But a leaker familiar with the development of WhatsApp revealed that’s going to change soon, with Facebook going for a multi-platform system. Here’s how it will all work, according to WABetaInfo:
WhatsApp is developing a new system to allow to use the same WhatsApp account on more devices, at the same time!
Using the new multi-platform system, it means you will be able to use:
- Your main WhatsApp account on iPad (when the app will be available) without uninstalling it from your iPhone.
- The same WhatsApp account on iOS and Android devices.
- WhatsApp on your computer (without the necessity for an Internet connection on your phone) using the UWP app (this is one of the reasons why started to develop it).
- It will be obviously possible to use the same account on Windows Phone (using UWP) and WhatsApp for Windows (always the UWP version).
That said, it’s unclear when the multi-platform WhatsApp apps will be available. The leaker also said that the upcoming release will “improve their end-to-end encryption,” given that messages will now have to be synced across devices. Facebook will have to find ways to link all these separate WhatsApp instances to the same account.
Apple’s iMessage also offers end-to-end encryption across devices. You can be using any number of iPhones, iPads, and Macs on the same iMessage account, as long as you authenticate with the same Apple ID and approve each of them for iMessage usage.
The leaker noted that screenshots highlighting the new features aren’t available at this time.
