“No Need for Phone: WhatsApp Rolls Out Operating System for Smartwatches, iPhone Users to Wait

• Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, has launched its operating system for wearables
• Wearables have become a big part of the technology space in recent years, but WhatsApp wasn’t one of the apps
• Now, WhatsApp's new OS will make it easier for users to reply to messages without having their phones nearby

WhatsApp has been made accessible on smartwatches powered by Wear OS, Verge reports.

The update means that WhatsApp users with an Android smartphone can now send and receive messages, make phone calls, and access notifications directly from their wristwear without using a phone.

This standalone application has undergone an extensive beta testing phase, and the recent update confirms its availability in the stable version.

For WhatsApp to function on Wear OS, a compatible smartwatch running Wear OS 3 or a later version is required.

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Features available on WhatsApp for Wear OS

WhatsApp for Wear OS enables users to access chat messages, respond through voice or text, mute conversations, block or report chats and users, verify end-to-end encryption, view images, utilise stickers, playback voice messages, send reactions, and manage incoming phone calls by accepting or declining them.

How to use WhatsApp for Wear OS

To get started with WhatsApp on your smartwatch running Wear OS 3 or above, please ensure it is adequately charged. Follow these steps:

1. Visit the Google Play Store on your smartwatch and search for WhatsApp. The smartwatch is paired with your phone, you need to figure out a way to download WhatsApp directly to your smartwatch.
2. Once the download is complete, open WhatsApp on your Wear OS smartwatch. You'll be presented with an eight-character code.
3. On your paired phone, you will receive a notification indicating that a new device is trying to link to your WhatsApp account. Confirm that you want to pair the new watch.
4. Enter the same eight-character code shown on your smartwatch into your phone's WhatsApp app and tap "confirm" to establish the link.
5. Congratulations! You have successfully linked your smartwatch to WhatsApp. Now, you can use WhatsApp directly on your Wear OS smartwatch.
6. Remember that if your smartwatch is a WiFi-only device, it will only receive messages when connected to WiFi.

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Also, the feature is currently available only for Android users. iPhone users cannot link WhatsApp to their smartwatches.

Additionally, linking a WhatsApp Business account is not supported at the moment.

Trouble for Twitter as Meta launches new rival app, Threads

Legit.ng reported that following the recent chaos engulfing Twitter over a new policy announced by Elon Musk on Saturday, July 1, 2023, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has launched a new app, Threads, to take on Twitter.

A statement by the company revealed that the new platform will berth on Thursday, July 6, 2023.

The development comes months after Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO and the Twitter CTO, agreed to a cage fight.

Source: Legit.ng