WhatsApp launches official app for Wear OS smartwatches
WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.10.10 is now available on the Google Play Store, and it's finally compatible with Wear OS, which allows beta testers of its Android app to send text and voice messages from smartwatches, including the Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch 5. This is a major improvement over the previous functionality where Wear OS users could only respond to WhatsApp messages via their smartwatch notifications.
The new Wear OS app enables users to browse recent chats, scroll through message histories, and reply using text or voice. It also has a couple of tiles available, including one to access contacts and one for voice messages. The app also features a complication showing the number of unread messages sitting in your WhatsApp inbox. To set up the app, users can download it by becoming a beta tester and linking their WhatsApp account to their Wear OS device using an 8-digit code. Messaging on the smartwatch app still preserves end-to-end encryption since it relies on multi-device capabilities.
However, there is currently no option to start a new chat from the Wear OS app if you've never sent a WhatsApp contact a message before, and the WhatsApp Business app doesn't currently support the smartwatch app, even with the latest update. Despite this, the new official WhatsApp app for Wear OS smartwatches is a significant improvement over the previous functionality for Wear OS users, and the hints at new features such as the ability to edit previously sent messages, suggest that WhatsApp is continuing to invest in improving the user experience across all devices.
