The Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has launched a new native app for macOS, the company announced today. The highlight of the revamped WhatsApp app for Mac is that it offers video calling and audio calling support for up to 8 and 32 users respectively.
Users can get incoming call notifications on their macOS machines even when the WhatsApp app is closed. Also, they can join a group call after it has started and the new app allows files to be shared simply by dragging and dropping them into the chat window.
These new features are on par with the app’s Windows counterpart which saw a major refresh earlier this year. It was known back then that a revamped version of the app for macOS with improved performance was also in the making.
The new native WhatsApp for Mac now requires macOS 11 Bug Sur or higher installed on your Apple-branded computer. It is available for download on the WhatsApp website and will be available on the App Store soon. “As with WhatsApp on any device, WhatsApp for Mac keeps your personal messages and calls private across devices with end-to-end encryption,” the company said in a blog post.
WhatsApp has been on a launch spree this year with a plethora of new features, including support for HD media, screen sharing during video calls, instant video messages, contextual stickers, Channels feature, Chat Lock, edit sent messages, and more.
Moreover, the instant messaging app has also made it easier to text unknown phone numbers. But it has also added the ability to automatically silence unknown phone calls in the app. Recent reports suggest WhatsApp is also testing some new text formatting tools and a feature that helps create stickers using AI text prompts. Boosting the app’s cross-device experience, WhatsApp now allows users to use the app on multiple smartphones at the same time.