WhatsApp is further expanding its functions so that your conversations no longer only take place on your iPhone, but also on other platforms. According to WhatsApp, you increasingly switch between iPad, car and desktop to keep up with work, friends and family, and the latest features respond to this exactly.
In one new feature round-up WhatsApp announces four innovations: sign in directly on iPad, a completely new in-car experience, smarter PDF tools and a new way to share your music via Status. These features are being rolled out now and should make it easier to use WhatsApp in more situations throughout your day.
Log in to WhatsApp via iPad
Since the introduction of WhatsApp for iPad last year, a common wish has been to be able to create an account directly on the iPad, without first connecting it to a phone. WhatsApp is now responding to this: from now on you can register directly from the iPad app, set up your account and get started straight away.
For iPad users in the Apple ecosystem, this means that the tablet becomes more of a standalone WhatsApp device. You no longer have to use an iPhone to activate everything, which is useful if, for example, you mainly message or work from the couch with your iPad.
Renewed WhatsApp in the car
WhatsApp has completely revamped the in-car experience for both CarPlay and Android Auto. In the updated interface you can listen to and reply to messages, make calls, consult your call log and reach your favorites, all hands-free via the screen in your car.
The focus is on making communication on the road easier and safer. By making more functions available directly via the infotainment screen, you will have to reach for your phone less often while driving.
Open and annotate PDFs directly
WhatsApp is also introducing improvements around PDF files. You can now open PDFs directly in WhatsApp without having to download them first.
On WhatsApp Web and the desktop app, you can also perform light editing, such as highlighting and annotating text within the PDF, made possible by Adobe Acrobat integration. This makes collaborating on documents in a chat a lot more practical, especially if you work a lot with files.
Share music via Status
Finally, WhatsApp adds a new way to share music via Status. You can now share a song directly from Apple Music or Spotify to your WhatsApp Status with just a few taps, so friends can immediately see what you’re listening to at that moment. Tap the share button on the music service and choose the WhatsApp app, then you can select your status to add the song.
According to WhatsApp, this makes your Status more personal and more “you”, because music is an important form of self-expression for many users. The sharing option lowers the threshold for tipping numbers, without screenshots or manually copied links.