WhatsApp remains one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. While the messaging app is already available on most platforms, Meta has today announced a new and faster app for Macs that will bring group calling functionality to macOS users.
Meta currently offers a WhatsApp app for macOS but it is more of a web wrapper as it offers limited functionalities.
New Native Whatsapp for Mac app features
Announcing in a blog post, Meta says that the new WhatsApp app for Mac allows group calls from the Mac device, something which was not possible in the earlier versions. The new app brings functionality for audio calls with up to 8 participants and video calls with up to 32 people on an audio call.
In addition to bringing group call functionality to its Mac app, Meta has also announced that users can now join a group call after it has been started, see call history right within the app, and even choose to receive notifications even when the app is not open on their Mac device.
Besides features, the new WhatsApp for Mac has been redesigned from scratch and comes with a new interface and a WhatsApp for Mac label. In the new app, users can share files by easily dragging and dropping into a chat window and even see previous chat history.
“With the new WhatsApp app for Mac, you can now make group calls from your Mac for the first time, connecting with up to eight people on video calls and up to 32 people on audio calls. Now you can join a group call after it’s started, see your call history, and choose to receive incoming call notifications even when the app is closed,” writes Meta in the blog post.
The new app, as per Meta “is redesigned to be familiar to Mac users, helping you get more done faster when using WhatsApp on a large screen.”
To maintain privacy, WhatsApp chats will also be end-to-end encrypted as they are on other platforms.
Download new WhatsApp for Mac app right now!
While it might take some time for the new WhatsApp for Mac app to hit the App Store, users who cannot wait to test the new app before it is available can visit WhatsApp’s official download page and download the new app from there.
On the download page, Meta states that the new native app for macOS requires macOS 11 or newer.
The native Whatsapp for Mac app is indeed a welcome move from Meta. The currently available app is a make-shift app that brings half-baked functionalities for Mac users.