With more than a billion active users, WhatsApp is one of the biggest messaging applications in the world. With its success and reach, WhatsApp is not only going to be on mobile phones, but will also now be launching its very own desktop app for both Windows 8 and Mac OS 10.9 and up.
The app will be able to sync with WhatsApp user’s account on their mobile device. After the app is downloaded on the desktop it will need to scan a QR code from inside Settings > WhatsApp Web on the mobile app.
Whatapp had been available on the desktop through a web client called WhatsApp Web. This web client was launched on January 2015, by offering it on Android and Windows Phone users which eventually lead to supporting iOS users as well. The main different that the desktop apps will provide is native support which will enable users to use keyboard shortcuts and allow them to open their messages on a separate window rather than having it in a browser or even being misplaced in all tabs that have been opened.
Other desktop apps have been launched in the past to act as the browser plugins like ChitChat for Mac OS X making this the first time that an officially owned WhatsAspp is offering its own native desktop support.
The introduction of these desktop apps can be viewed as a powerful threat towards other messaging apps such as Slack who have had success on the desktop.
Messaging apps are growing in popularity in the workplace as it one of the quickest ways to communicate, even more efficient than email. The app Slack is currently popular amongst workplace for communicating whereas WhatsApp is linked with talking to an individual’s friends and family.
However it is undeniable how popular WhatsApp’s group texting still is amongst many businesses and organizations. This app can be used to communicate with other work colleagues about where they want to go for lunch or be used by businesses to communicate with their customers. The app has been used by many politicians in India to assist them with their election campaigns.
Slack is still considered as more advantageous over WhatsApp in terms of enterprise use as it users of Slack can effectively use the app for work purposes and not mix anything up with their personal communications, which could be done on WhatsApp.
This new desktop app by WhatsApp can help attract more enterprise users with the help of various features to be added to the app such as an administrator portal or mobile management solutions.
