This archive report was first published on 6 August 2019.
On October 22, 2014, WhatsApp made a significant move to reach users wherever they are by unveiling its web version, initially available for Chrome web browsers and with plans for extension to other browsers later.
The web client is an extension of WhatsApp on the phone, allowing users to access their messages from their computer. This new feature is now available for WhatsApp users on Android, Windows Phone, Nokia, and BlackBerry devices.
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. They will then be asked to scan a QR code inside their WhatsApp on mobile, which will pair the browser with their phone and reflect their WhatsApp messages directly to their 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 also stated that its users send over 30 billion messages every day.
By launching on the web, WhatsApp aims to attract even more active users, particularly those who want to share and watch videos and pictures on a bigger screen, as well as listen to music. This move will also help the Facebook-owned firm to compete with other messaging services like Viber, Line, Skype, and Hangouts, which already have desktop versions.
