Meta has finally launched a standalone WhatsApp app for smartwatches running on Google’s Wear OS, putting an end to the tiresome task of switching between your smartwatch and phone. The much-anticipated release comes after months of beta testing and was officially announced by Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday. With this app, users can now initiate new conversations, respond to messages, and even make VoIP calls directly from their wrists, without the need for their connected phones.
The WhatsApp app for Wear OS is now available globally and is compatible with smartwatches running Wear OS 3. The app was initially announced during Google’s developer-focused I/O conference in May as a beta version, with the expectation of a public launch soon after. During the same conference, Google also unveiled improved Wear OS apps from third-party companies like Spotify and Peloton, along with updates to its own apps, including Google Home, Gmail, and Calendar, which enhance the overall experience of Wear OS-based smartwatches.
Comparatively, Apple’s watchOS does not currently offer a standalone WhatsApp app, limiting its users to viewing and responding to messages through notifications on their paired iPhones. However, the Apple Watch continues to dominate the smartwatch market despite this limitation.
The timing of WhatsApp’s release for Wear OS seems strategic, as it coincides with the upcoming Samsung Unpacked event. Speculations suggest that the new Galaxy Watch 6 and possibly the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic will be the first to run Wear OS 4, providing an opportunity for Meta to gain momentum with the Wear OS app’s release before the event.
This move not only strengthens Wear OS’s appeal to WhatsApp’s vast user base, with over 2.24 billion active users, but also supports Google’s efforts to expand Wear OS’s third-party app ecosystem. Other major players, such as Spotify, are also reportedly gearing up to release new features for their Wear OS apps, further enhancing the platform’s appeal to users.
