WhatsApp is developing an updated Mac app that features native Apple silicon support, with the company today providing a TestFlight beta to allow some Mac users to try out the new version of the app.
Apple silicon Macs have been able to use the Electron-based Intel version of WhatsApp for Mac since 2020 thanks to Rosetta 2, but there has been no native version available. An Apple silicon optimized Universal app should run faster and should use less resources on M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra, and M2 machines.
News of the WhatsApp for Mac beta was shared by WABetaInfo, and the site notes that it is an early beta so some features may not fully function. The Universal version of WhatsApp does have an updated design that has a more Mac-like style with dedicated sidebar, and it is notably quicker than the existing version.
The sidebar features easy access to Chats, Calls, Archived, Starred, and Settings, and the chat interface also has an Apple-like style with Mac icons and a streamlined interface that feels more natural on Apple's devices.
There is no word on when the updated WhatsApp for Mac app will be released, but WhatsApp has been testing it internally for three weeks prior to providing a TestFlight version of the beta, so development is progressing.
O.. sure... encrypted end-to-end... but who's on each end? Exactly!
End-to-end is end-to-end. Meaning nobody in the middle can see the chats other than you and the other person. And now, even the Google backups can be encrypted (previously they are not). As much as I hate Meta/FB, I appreciate whatsapp for their efforts in implementing encryption.
Wednesday August 3, 2022 9:06 am PDT by Juli Clover
Microsoft today announced the debut of a native Microsoft Teams app that's been optimized for Apple silicon Macs, with the app coming after several months of development.
Microsoft Teams is a business communication platform that's similar to Slack, offering text-based chat, video conferencing, file storage, app integration, and more. The native version of the app will bring a "significant...
WhatsApp is set to end support for iOS 10 and iOS 11 versions of Apple's mobile operating system, requiring all users to be running at least iOS 12 after October 24, 2022.
That means iOS 10 and iOS 11 users – who will mainly be iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C owners – will no longer be able to use the encrypted chat service after the specified date.
WhatsApp already states on its Help Center that...
WhatsApp has announced it is rolling out multiple new features today that have undergone long testing periods, including emoji reactions, bigger file transfers, and larger groups.
WhatsApp has been working on message reactions – or "Tapbacks" in Apple Messages parlance – for some time, with evidence of their development first coming to light last summer.
The feature gives messaging...
A version of Discord with native support for Apple silicon Macs is now rolling out to users, almost a year and a half after the first Macs with Apple silicon chips were shipped to customers.
Until now, Discord users have had to rely on Rosetta 2 technology to use Discord on Apple's latest Macs. While usable, Discord on Rosetta 2, which translates apps made for Intel-based Macs to run on...
Friday January 28, 2022 12:03 pm PST by Juli Clover
There could be a WhatsApp app for iPad coming in the near future, according to WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart. In an interview with The Verge, Cathcart said that people have long been asking for an iPad app, and that the company would "love to do it."
Though Cathcart did not commit to a release date for a WhatsApp iPad app, the Meta-owned company already has the underlying structure in place...
WhatsApp is working on an app for iPadOS, and thanks to Mac Catalyst, an app for macOS too, according to WABetaInfo.
WhatsApp's rumored app for iPad will be a Catalyst app, enabling it to run seamlessly on macOS. This effectively allows the same app to share code while running on separate platforms.
The new WhatsApp app for macOS apparently looks very similar to the app for iPadOS,...
Dropbox has finally begun testing a native version of its Mac app with Apple silicon support, following widespread criticism from customers and users who initially thought it had no plans to take advantage of the latest Macs powered by Apple's custom processors.
In October, official responses to comments on the Dropbox forums suggested Dropbox had no plans to add support for Apple silicon...
Wednesday May 18, 2022 10:06 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
In collaboration with the Metal engineering team at Apple, PyTorch today announced that its open source machine learning framework will soon support GPU-accelerated model training on Apple silicon Macs powered by M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, or M1 Ultra chips.
Until now, PyTorch training on the Mac only leveraged the CPU, but an upcoming version will allow developers and researchers to take advantage ...
With the fifth beta of iOS 16, Apple has updated the battery icon on iPhones with Face ID to display the specific battery percentage rather than just a visual representation of battery level. The new battery indicator is available on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, with the exception of the 5.4-inch iPhone 12/13 mini. It is also available on the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, XS and XS Max, and...
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models are rumored to be available in a refreshed range of color options, including an all-new purple color. Most expectations about the iPhone 14 lineup's color options come from an unverified post on Chinese social media site Weibo earlier this year.
Overall, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro's selection of color options could look fairly similar to those of the ...
Apple this week brought back one of the most highly requested features from iOS users since the launch of the iPhone X in 2017: the ability to see your battery percentage directly in the status bar.
Ever since the launch of the iPhone X with the notch, Apple has not allowed users to show their battery percentage directly in the status bar, forcing them to swipe down into Control Center to...
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of iOS 16 to developers for testing purposes, introducing some small but notable changes to the iOS operating system.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up everything new in the fifth beta below.
Battery Percentage in Status Bar
The battery icon in the status bar now displays the exact battery percent, a feature that ...
The camera bump on the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro Max is expected to be the largest rear lens housing Apple has ever installed on its flagship smartphones, and a new photo offers a rare glimpse at just how prominent it is compared to Apple's predecessor device.
iPhone 14 Pro Max dummy (left) vs iPhone 13 Pro Max All iPhone 14 models are expected to see upgrades to the Ultra Wide camera on the...
Apple has "started to record" its virtual September event, where it's expected to announce the upcoming iPhone 14 lineup, the Apple Watch Series 8, and a new "rugged" Apple Watch model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says the event, which is expected to take place in the early part of September, is already under production, implying...
While the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 are expected to be announced in September as usual, there are several more Apple products rumored to launch later this year, including new iPad and Mac models and more.
Beyond the iPhone and Apple Watch, we've put together a list of five Apple products that are most likely to be unveiled by the end of 2022.
Second-Generation AirPods Pro
Apple...
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Are you listening 1Password?
Hard pass.