WhatsApp has been working on multi-device support for its platform for quite some time. I have reviewed the report on development dating back to 2019. However, waiting for multi-device support on WhatsApp is finally over as the company begins rolling out features to a limited number of beta testers today. So it won’t be long before the messaging giant makes multi-device support publicly available.
Now, for those who don’t know, WhatsApp’s multi-device support is essentially Eliminates the need to keep your smartphone connected to the internet To use WhatsApp on your desktop or other device. In a June interview, WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg elaborated on the challenges of developing multi-device support for messaging platforms.
Today, Cathcart shared a detailed blog post to further explain the complexity of its functionality. In addition to this, he also announced that a small number of existing beta testers will be able to access WhatsApp’s multi-device support starting today.
How does it work?
WhatsApp’s multi-device support allows users to link up to four additional non-phone devices to their account to access chat, voice, and video calls on WhatsApp web / desktop without connecting their primary smartphone to the Internet. .. Therefore, enabling this feature allows you to use WhatsApp on individual devices even when the phone is not connected to the Internet or is turned off.
In a blog post, Cathcart states that the platform’s current architecture needs to be revisited to enable multi-device support. The current architecture uses smartphones as the source device to allow users to access WhatsApp on the web or other platforms, but the new architecture eliminates this.Instead, it provides a seamlessly synchronized experience across multiple devices. “Without compromising security”..
Bottom: New architecture for multi-device support
Image courtesy of WhatsApp
So a new architecture for WhatsApp multi-device support uses a client fanout approach.. In this process, the WhatsApp client that sends the message encrypts the message N times to N different devices stored in the sender and recipient device lists. Each message is encrypted individually. This ensures a secure messaging experience via WhatsApp on compatible devices without the need for a smartphone.
Cathcart further explained a number of other challenges the company had to overcome to develop the long-awaited WhatsApp multi-device capabilities. Check out the entire blog post for more information.
availability
When it comes to availability, WhatsApp’s multi-device support is initially only available to a limited number of beta testers. Therefore, if you are enrolled in the WhatsApp beta program and are lucky enough to have access to this feature on both Android and iOS, you will see the new one. “Multi-device beta” option At the bottom of the WhatsApp Web or linked device settings page.
In addition, the first time you use WhatsApp web or desktop apps on your PC after enabling the feature, your desktop client will see the new beta tag. However, if you want to send a message to a contact via the web or desktop app without an internet connection, you need to make sure the contact is running the latest version of WhatsApp on your device.
That said, multi-device capabilities are still under development and are not ready for stable deployment. The company will continue to develop, optimize performance, add features, and then release it to the public in the next few days.
