This archive report was first published on 6 August 2019.
On October 22, 2014, WhatsApp made a significant move to reach users across various platforms by unveiling its web version, starting with Chrome web browsers and with plans for extension later.
The web client, now available for WhatsApp users on Android, Windows Phone, Nokia, and BlackBerry devices, serves as an extension of the mobile app, fetching messages from the phone to the computer.
However, due to limitations with the Apple platform, iOS users will not have access to this service at this time.
For a trial, users can access the web version by visiting https://web.whatsapp.com on their Google Chrome browser, which will then ask them to scan a QR code inside their WhatsApp mobile app to pair the browser with their phone. Once paired, the browser will reflect WhatsApp messages from the phone directly to the desktop.
Just a few days ago, WhatsApp announced that it had reached 700 million active users, a significant increase from 100 million in August. The firm stated that users send over 30 billion messages every day.
By launching on the web, WhatsApp aims to attract more active users, particularly those who prefer larger screens for sharing and watching videos, pictures, and listening to music. This move also positions the Facebook-owned firm to compete with other messaging services like Viber, Line, Skype, and Hangouts, which already have desktop versions.
