14 DAY TRIAL // WhatsApp might be developing official Windows and Mac OS X desktop applications that would allow users to chat with their contacts straight from a PC.
At this point, this information is still in the rumor stage, but some screenshots posted on Twitter reveal what seems to be the download FAQ for Windows and Mac OS X WhatsApp clients. Not much is being revealed about these apps, but they are most likely supposed to help WhatsApp offer similar functionality as Telegram, a competing mobile messaging service that’s already offering desktop apps.
WhatsApp has remained tight-lipped until now on the possibility of launching Windows and Mac OS X clients, but having such apps pretty much makes sense, mostly given the fact that WhatsApp Web has so far seen really good results.
At this point, WhatsApp Web, which requires a browser, is the only way to use WhatsApp on a PC and apps that embed the website are already available on Windows. An Internet-connected phone, however, is still required in this case. It’s not known if the desktop client of WhatApp will require an active Internet connection for the phone, but the chances are that it will.
More opportunities on Windows 10
Without a doubt, bringing WhatsApp on the desktop opens the door to a wide array of new possibilities, including a universal app for Windows 10 published in the store.
Third-party clients that are nothing more than web wrappers are already up for grabs in the Windows 10 Store, but with an official app, everything would work faster and smoother. Or at least, that’s what everyone hopes to see happening.
There are no details as to when these apps could launch on Windows or Mac OS X, but given the fact that demand for such programs keeps growing, expect WhatsApp to at least provide some information on them in the coming months.