Whatsapp finally arrives on iPad. With a decidedly unjustified delay, the beta testing of the popular messaging app natively made for iPadOS has been started in the past few hours. The app is currently available on TestFlight, identified by version 2.23.19.72, for those who are already enrolled in the restricted beta testing program for iOS.
THERE HAS BEEN TALK FOR YEARS OF AN APP FOR IPAD
Whatsapp has already started over a year ago to offer the possibility of using the app, through the “Companion” mode also via the web and on other devices, up to 4. Currently, iPhone, Android devices, Wear OS, and OS and Mac computers are supported.
The appeal lacked a native version for iPad (but also that for Apple Watch) on which can still be used, with all its limitations, the web version, not that for iPhone. One would almost wonder why it took all this time. Evidently, in Meta there is not a great feeling with the iPad since the iPadOS versions of Instagram and Threads are still missing as well as Facebook is, in practice, only an enlarged version of the iPhone app.
The first clues that WhatsApp was really working on an iPad app had however emerged back in 2017 but it was only in 2021 that Mark Zuckerberg had confirmed his intention to want to make it.
The iPad version works exactly as you’d expect, i.e. only in Companion mode. It is therefore not possible to activate it as the main app but can be combined with the main device through a QR code. Once the quick initial setup is done, you will see chats and groups that will always be synced with your phone, regardless of whether it is an iOS or Android device
Of course, the iPad app also works when your primary smartphone isn’t nearby or isn’t connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Regarding the user interface, Whatsapp for iPad is very similar to the version for web, Mac and Windows. The larger screen obviously allows you to show more content divided into two columns.
At the moment, as mentioned, Whatsapp for iPad is still in beta and some features may still not work properly, such as the ability to view and publish status updates and some features related to live location. In addition, it is not known how long it will take to finish this phase of development and make it available to the public. As a worrying precedent, remember that the Mac version took almost a year to be released.