http://www.lifehacker.co.uk/2015/01/21/whatsapp-comes-desktop-computers-chrome-youre-ios

Bugger!

What about if you’re not a fanbois, but still have an iPhone?

So I can use the iOS whatsapp app but not iOS Safari to access whatsapp? Bit of a non story really…

No, you COULD use it on your desktop/laptop if you didn’t have an iphone but for some reason they’ve not made that available.

Bit of a non story really…

Unless you have an Android, Windows or Blackberry phone

do they not have a whatsapp app?

am i missing something here?

do they not have a whatsapp app?

am i missing something here?

They’re acknowledging that for many people, once they get to school/work, they’re sat on a computer, not their phone.

To be honest, I can’t think of anything worse than whatsapp messages arriving on my work laptop!

It’s a technical issue, down to the way Apple lock everything down.

WhatsApp’s authentication is tied to the phone SIM with no passwords and only a device with that SIM can send messages. To do the web version it basically mirrors the phone app and it has to be able to talk to the phone live, and then the phone does the actual chat to the server. Seems odd, but given the way it authenticates it makes sense. Anyway, the mirroring mechanism is likely impossible under iOS because of Apple’s rules and technical limits. Hence why they say they can’t do it because of iOS limits.

Oh, and only works on Chrome.

Works great on Android + Chrome. Create an application shortcut in Chrome for it and it sits in its own window and can be made a desktop shortcut / pinned item in Windows.

I get access to the chat history & media, and can now easily post a link or photo from the desktop without having to copy it to the phone first.

I’m confused. You all seem to be men not 16 year old girls. Why are you using whatsapp. Just email instead.

STATO – Member

I’m confused. You all seem to be men not 16 year old girls. Why are you using whatsapp. Just email instead.

Do you use text messages? Or do you contact everyone by e-mail about everything?

STATO – Member
I’m confused. You all seem to be men not 16 year old girls. Why are you using whatsapp. Just email instead.

you try organisating 10 people to play 5s or 6/7 people to play badminton, or 30 people going on a stag, or even just any night out via email. Then try doing it via WhatsApp.

Let me know which you prefer.

I’m very confused by the story.

There is a WhatsApp app on iOS, so why would I want to use it via a browser in iOS instead?

They’re acknowledging that for many people, once they get to school/work, they’re sat on a computer, not their phone.

Yeah but surely at that point they are using a computer with Windows/OSX/Linux installed on it – not iOS? And presumably they still have their phone in their pocket?

Why are you using whatsapp. Just email instead.

Can’t remember the last time I emailed friends.

Usually use Facebook messenger, WhatsApp or iMessage.

Used to use WhatsApp a lot more because it meant I could send photos and video in messages without paying through the nose for MMS – but that’s less of an issue these days with iMessage and Messenger.

There is a WhatsApp app on iOS, so why would I want to use it via a browser in iOS instead?

WiFi only iPad?

WiFi only iPad?

But you presumably need internet access for the app or for the browser-based webapp?

In fact the article says “The app is actually a complete replication of what’s in your WhatsApp app on your device, so you need to have an active web connection on both devices.”

OK – an iPad with a SIM card?

It’s all about Telegram now isn’t it?

OK – an iPad with a SIM card?

Surely if you are on a SIM then you want to use the least data possible, so you want nice tight protocols provided by the app, not entire web pages and screeds of javascript provided by the webapp?

you try organisating 10 people to play 5s or 6/7 people to play badminton, or 30 people going on a stag, or even just any night out via email. Then try doing it via WhatsApp.
Let me know which you prefer.

Id probably struggle, as all my mates are grown men who dont use apps designed for teenagers ;0)

STATO – Member

Id probably struggle, as all my mates are past it.

FTFY 😉

btw I think you are confusing whatsapp and snapchat(I’ve never used the latter)! 🙂 whatsapp is just an upgraded text app, it’s very good.

There is a WhatsApp app on iOS, so why would I want to use it via a browser in iOS instead?

You don’t use it in a browser in iOS. It’s just more convenient if you’re using a laptop to send messages via your web browser than get your phone out of your pocket and send a message using that.

But you can’t use it in a browser on your laptop unless you have a suitable device to set it up with, and iOS isn’t supported yet.

Or that’s how I understand it anyway.

EDIT: And it doesn’t help me anyway because I use firefox and that’s not supported yet 😛

all my mates are grown men who dont use apps designed for teenagers ;0)

I use WhatsApp to send photos to my mum and she’s a pensioner.

brant – Member
It’s all about Telegram now isn’t it?

Or viber or hangouts 😕

But you can’t use it in a browser on your laptop unless you have a suitable device to set it up with, and iOS isn’t supported yet.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! That makes more sense. Thanks chambord.

WiFi only iPad?

there we go, thats what I was missing. no Ipad whatsapp app.

good job I dont really use it.

I get access to the chat history & media, and can now easily post a link or photo from the desktop without having to copy it to the phone first.

I think this is the advantage to using it from a desktop.

mark90 – Member
I get access to the chat history & media, and can now easily post a link or photo from the desktop without having to copy it to the phone first.
I think this is the advantage to using it from a desktop.

and more subtle skivvability! 😆

no Ipad whatsapp app

Really?!

I thought everyone on the planet used whatsapp, they must make a fortune. Surely they can get someone to make an ipad app for them?

No idea if there is an iPad-specific version of WhatsApp or not, but if there isn’t then you can just use the iPhone version (as you can with any app).

GrahamS – Member
No idea if there is an iPad-specific version of WhatsApp or not, but if there isn’t then you can just use the iPhone version (as you can with any app).

If you’ve got a phone number to use to you can activate whatapp on any device whether it has a sim or not, I did it with my mums nexus 7, can’t mind the steps but it was easy enough, i’d imagine the iOS app(there is one.) could do the same.

No idea if there is an iPad-specific version of WhatsApp or not, but if there isn’t then you can just use the iPhone version (as you can with any app).

it would appear to be iphone only. can see it in the app store on my phone. doesnt appear on my ipad.

jam bo – Member
No idea if there is an iPad-specific version of WhatsApp or not, but if there isn’t then you can just use the iPhone version (as you can with any app).
it would appear to be iphone only. can see it in the app store on my phone. doesnt appear on my ipad.

same as on android, you’ll need to download the apple equivalent of an APK file and install manually.

Perhaps now they’ve written this QR code key exchange whatsit for the web version they’ll make a tablet version and use that as a way of authenticating the same user on the tablet app.

STATO – Member
Id probably struggle, as all my mates are grown men who dont use apps designed for teenagers ;0)

Teens don’t use WhatsApp. They’re all on Snapchat.

It’s far from a teen thing. For a start you have to pay for it annually (free in first year). It’s not crammed with adverts for Candy Whatever, in fact there are no adverts at all. There’s no gaming element.

It’s basically a replacement for SMS with an emphasis on group messages, only requires phone numbers to connect with people, with no account sign up.

For organising MTB rides it’s very useful, particularly as a number of people refuse to use Facebook and the like, and don’t read emails (myself included), but generally seem okay with WhatsApp. SMS is loads of hassle as there’s no group element where you can all see the replies. Plus it’s available for a lot of phone platforms, even Blackberry and Symbian, so covers old farts with old untrendy phones too.

As for why you might want to use it on the desktop. Well numerous times people have been sending me messages about some ride being planned but my phone is in the other room, and I’m on the desktop. So now I get the messages. There are other services though, like PushBullet that can ping notifications from the phone to the desktop.

chambord – Member
Perhaps now they’ve written this QR code key exchange whatsit for the web version they’ll make a tablet version and use that as a way of authenticating the same user on the tablet app.

Seems like it, I’d imagine it’ll get ported to iOS/OsX soon enough.

As for iPad or even Android tablets, as I mentioned earlier the service is authenticated by SIM. The security is tied to the SIM, so it must be a mobile device with a SIM. WhatsApp developers decided to limit it to phones, even though there are SIMs in a few tablets.

Besides, if you can run Chrome on a tablet and so long as your phone isn’t iOS, then you can use WhatsApp on your tablet now 😉

For a start you have to pay for it annually (free in first year).

I got the iPhone version before they introduced that. Originally you just bought the app (for 69p I think) and it was free forever.

Don’t think I’ve ever paid an annual sub for it.

deadkenny – Member
The security is tied to the SIM

It’s not, it’s tied to a phone number. doesn’t matter if the sim is there or not.

It’s not, it’s tied to a phone number. doesn’t matter if the sim is there or not.

does a phone without a sim have a phone number?

seosamh77 – Member
It’s not, it’s tied to a phone number. doesn’t matter if the sim is there or not.

Well, by authenticated by SIM it is in that you need a SIM somewhere tied to that phone number to receive the authentication code. Once entered, that device is registered against the number and no other can be, but yes you can remove the SIM or have it in another phone.

jon1973 – Member
does a phone without a sim have a phone number?

No. The phone number is always tied to the SIM (edit: well, standard mobile phone numbers that is).

I believe WhatsApp may check the number on the phone. It seems to do this on reinstalling. If it fails it will do the authentication code again, so again you need the SIM somewhere to receive the code.

jon1973 – Member
It’s not, it’s tied to a phone number. doesn’t matter if the sim is there or not.
does a phone without a sim have a phone number?

Yes, it can.