A fortunate group of WhatsApp beta testers received a delightful surprise this week as the company appears to be experimenting with an iOS app version optimized for the iPad. Version 23.19.1.71 of WhatsApp’s TestFlight app, as spotted by WABetaInfo, includes this new iPad-compatible app.
Based on the screenshots available, the iPad app functions just as expected. You link it to your account by scanning a QR code, similar to linking on any other device. Your conversations are displayed on the left, and your current chat is on the right, essentially mirroring the iOS app, but with both panes visible simultaneously. It does make you wonder why it took so long, especially considering WhatsApp head Will Cathcart expressed the desire to do this as far back as January 2022.
Meta, for some reason, has been somewhat hesitant to build iPad apps. Instagram and Threads still lack dedicated iPad apps, and even the Facebook app is essentially an upscaled version of the iPhone app. Messenger is one of the few Meta apps offering a reasonably decent iPad experience. However, as WhatsApp becomes increasingly central to Meta’s social ecosystem and the company aims to encourage businesses to use WhatsApp for listings and customer interactions, it’s a logical step to bring the app to the iPad as well.
