Almost two years have passed since the first reliable rumor that a WhatsApp iPad app was in the works. Now the company has given a hint that a release is imminent.
In an interview with WABetaInfo Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that the popular messaging app will soon get multi-device capability, allowing users to use their WhatsApp account on up to four different linked devices, even when the primary smartphone isn't connected to the internet. According to Zuckerberg, Facebook identified "a major engineering challenge" in "keeping all messages and content correctly synced across all devices, even when the phone's battery is dead." However, Zuckerberg says that Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, has found an "elegant" solution to the problem and that "it will be the best solution available." In addition, WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart stated that multi-device support will be rolled out in a public beta.
“View once” mode: WhatsApp gets more privacy features
Specifically addressing the prospect of a future native iPad app for WhatsApp, Cathcart says the company would "love to support" the iPad and suggests that the rollout of multi-device support "will allow us to develop things like that." Other features confirmed include an expansion of the self-deleting message feature into an optional app-wide "self-deleting mode." Additionally, Zuckerberg confirmed that WhatsApp will soon introduce "View Once" mode for photos and videos, which, similar to Snapchat and Instagram, allows users to view received content only once. (Photo by Denys Prykhodov / Bigstockphoto)
