Why doesn't Whatsapp have an Apple Watch app yet.
It's the sole things keeping me from buying the Apple Watch. From what I understand, if I get a Whatsapp message (which I use as my primary method of messaging), it will only display on the Apple Watch that I have a new message and I will have to take my phone out to read it.
As of today, 4th Dec 2015, Whatsapp still does not have a native WatchOS application. Considering they took AGES to update their app to support the iPhone 6/6 Plus screen sizes, I'm not surprised.
That said, with the release of WatchOS 2, you can reply to Whatsapp notifications on your Apple Watch using the quick default replies or by dictation.
However, it isn't perfect;
That said, with the release of WatchOS 2, you can reply to Whatsapp notifications on your Apple Watch using the quick default replies or by dictation.
However, it isn't perfect;
- If you receive multiple messages, the preview of the message will be replaced with a notification stating the number of messages you received
- You can view any photos or videos posted
- You cannot initiate or search for messages. Access to Whatsapp messages is purely via the notification prompts
- How.
- WhatsApp does not have an app for Apple Watch yet. But it does show notifications from WhatsApp on Apple Watch. It is expected that WhatsApp Inc. will be releasing the app for Apple Watch once it gets its major update of watchOS this fall that would bring the Scribble feature so that people can also reply by writing/scribbling on Apple Watch itself.
A small correction, first. Whatsapp messages do show up on the watch (you can read who it's from and the text too, unless it's long), just like any other notification. What you can't do is reply. Or see pictures, or listen to audio. So basically, just the notification is relayed to the watch, and that's no thanks to whatsapp.
This is unlike the messages app (iMessage), which has pretty much full functionality as far as the watch is concerned.
As to the why, I cannot really say. Whatsapp is typically a real laggard in bringing in support for new features. They don't even have quick reply yet (replying directly from the notification banner), which came a good while before the watch was even announced.
Maybe they were waiting for native apps to come to the watch and will release an app soon, but i dont think it's likely. It should come eventually, though.
I don't know just how important whatsapp is to you, and yeah, a whatsapp app on the watch would be great, but is it really a deal maker or breaker? The watch is a nice little gadget to have, even without a whatsapp app.
This is unlike the messages app (iMessage), which has pretty much full functionality as far as the watch is concerned.
As to the why, I cannot really say. Whatsapp is typically a real laggard in bringing in support for new features. They don't even have quick reply yet (replying directly from the notification banner), which came a good while before the watch was even announced.
Maybe they were waiting for native apps to come to the watch and will release an app soon, but i dont think it's likely. It should come eventually, though.
I don't know just how important whatsapp is to you, and yeah, a whatsapp app on the watch would be great, but is it really a deal maker or breaker? The watch is a nice little gadget to have, even without a whatsapp app.
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