WhatsApp and Microsoft are planning a 'real' Windows app


WhatsApp developing a 'real' Windows app


Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp is reportedly working with Microsoft to deliver a proper desktop app. WhatsApp is one of the few developers that consistently delivered updates to its Windows Phone app, but a report by Windows Central suggests WhatsApp is actually getting ready to deliver a proper desktop app as well, TheNextWeb reported on Saturday.


Concept art for a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) version of WhatsApp showed up on Behance before being promptly removed. It appeared to be a native Windows app with UWP design tenets like acrylic transparency, the report said.

Furthermore, a description of the project suggested Microsoft and WhatsApp were working closely on the project. Rewinding a bit, WhatsApp does already have an app for the desktop but it’s basically just a port of the company’s web app.


While the web app is pretty functional, it misses out on important features like voice and video calling. This UWP project, on the other hand, clearly shows buttons necessary for calls. It also looks a lot nicer.


Not to be confused with WhatsApp Web
To be clear, WhatsApp already has a desktop app but that is just a web version of its core mobile offering.

WhatsApp Web lacks several crucial features like voice and video calling. According to reports, the new UWP app shows call buttons in concept images, suggesting it will have telephony capabilities.

This will make it a standalone native client for Windows 10 devices.

Comments