WhatsApp, the ubiquitous instant messaging app for iPhones and Android, is now available on Wear OS devices. Owned and operated by Meta, WhatsApp originally debuted on the iPhone in 2009 before making its way to Android the following year. It was initially also offered on Nokia’s Symbian OS and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, but those have since been discontinued. It is currently available on three mobile and two desktop platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and KaiOS.
First spotted by prolific tipster WABetaInfo, official Wear OS support was added to WhatsApp with version 2.23.10.10 of the beta Android app, allowing users to send voice and text messages directly from their wrist. Previously, Wear OS users could only respond to WhatsApp messages via their smartwatch notifications but were unable to send messages from their watch. That changes with the availability of the new app, although it is currently only available to beta users, with no word on when it will be rolled out to the stable channel.
While Meta is yet to make an official statement about the new development, 9to5Google claims that the Wear OS app supports at least the Pixel Watch and the Galaxy Watch 5. It’s not immediately clear whether it will also support older Galaxy Watch models, like the Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic, as well as other Wear OS devices, like the Mobvoi TicWatch and the Fossil Gen 5/6.
To use WhatsApp on a Wear OS device, users will have to first link their watch with their phone by entering an 8-digit code from the smartwatch in the Android app. Once the code is validated by WhatsApp, the user’s chats will be synced across the two devices, and they will be able to start using the app on their watch. According to WABetaInfo, all messages sent through the smartwatch will still have end-to-end encryption, thanks to WhatsApp’s multi-device capabilities.
You can enroll in the WhatsApp beta by signing up on Google Play.