New WhatsApp beta on TestFlight includes WhatsApp Beta for iPad
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Popular messaging app WhatsApp has never offered an app for the iPad. Instead, iPad users who want to use the platform are forced to use the web version of WhatsApp using a mobile browser. That’s because in the beginning, there wasn’t a separate iPadOS operating system for the tablets and WhatsApp didn’t work with the iPad.
From time to time, there have been several false starts, including a couple of years ago when Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Meta owns WhatsApp) and WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart discussed a possible iPad app for WhatsApp in a group chat.
Per WABetaInfo, the latest version of the WhatsApp Beta (version 23.19.1.71), available only from Apple’s TestFlight, is compatible with the iPad. You will have to be a member of the WhatsApp for iOS official beta program on TestFlight to install WhatsApp on your iPad. Once you install it, you will need to scan a QR code using your iPhone. The app will then download all of your conversations, and you’ll be able to send and receive messages on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Once the app is installed on the iPad, users will be able to use WhatsApp on their Apple tablets regardless of whether their iPhone is nearby or not, even if the devices aren’t sharing the same Wi-Fi signal. The WhatsApp app for iPad is limited in that you cannot open a new WhatsApp account from it, similar to the version of WhatsApp made for the desktop. It offers more content on the screen thanks to the larger displays.
It isn’t known when the public will get access to this app and as we said, the Beta is available only from Apple’s TestFlight, so there is limited availability. But that will change as soon as WhatsApp for iPad becomes available in the App Store.
We should point out that WhatsApp’s sibling, Instagram, also does not offer an app for iPad. Both WhatsApp and Instagram were purchased by what was then known as Facebook in February 2014, and April 2012 respectively.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the primary benefit of the new WhatsApp beta for iPad users compared to the existing web version?
What is the primary benefit of the new WhatsApp beta for iPad users compared to the existing web version?
The new beta app allows users to send and receive messages on their iPad independently of their iPhone's proximity or shared Wi-Fi connection, unlike the web version which requires the iPhone to be nearby.
Q.Is it possible for any iPad user to download and use this new WhatsApp beta app immediately?
Is it possible for any iPad user to download and use this new WhatsApp beta app immediately?
No, access is limited. Users must be members of the official WhatsApp for iOS beta program on Apple's TestFlight to install the app. Availability is restricted at this stage.
Q.Are there any limitations to the functionality of the WhatsApp app when used on an iPad?
Are there any limitations to the functionality of the WhatsApp app when used on an iPad?
Yes, similar to the desktop version, users cannot open a new WhatsApp account directly from the iPad app. It primarily serves as a companion for an existing account.
Q.What is the current status regarding a dedicated iPad app for WhatsApp's sister application, Instagram?
What is the current status regarding a dedicated iPad app for WhatsApp's sister application, Instagram?
The article states that Instagram, WhatsApp's sibling application, also does not currently offer a dedicated app for the iPad, similar to WhatsApp's previous situation.
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