WhatsApp Rolls Out Standalone App for Wear OS Smartwatches

WhatsApp has finally introduced its standalone app for smartwatches using Google's Wear OS. Announced by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday, this highly anticipated app will allow users to initiate conversations, respond to texts, and make VoIP calls without needing their connected smartphones. Now rolling out worldwide, the app is compatible with smartwatches operating on Wear OS 3, enabling users to send and receive text and voice messages, emojis, and quick replies directly from their wrists.

Google disclosed the release of WhatsApp's Wear OS app at its developer-centric I/O conference in May. Initially, the app was launched as a beta version, with expectations for its public availability to follow quickly. The I/O conference also saw Google revealing enhanced Wear OS applications from third-party companies like Spotify and Peloton, along with updates to Google's own apps, including Google Home, Gmail, and Calendar. These enhancements aim to provide an upgraded experience for Wear OS-based smartwatches.

Apple's watchOS, in contrast, doesn't currently provide a standalone WhatsApp application. This means Apple Watch users have a more restricted experience with no innate ability to send messages or make WhatsApp calls via the smartwatch. However, Apple does let users view incoming messages and respond to them via the Apple Watch's screen, provided they've enabled the appropriate notification settings on their iPhones.

Despite the lack of a standalone WhatsApp app, Apple Watch has been leading the global smartwatch market for several years. Google, though, is not standing idle. It's working on improving Wear OS, adding new manufacturers, and bringing fresh apps and experiences to this platform in an attempt to challenge Apple Watch's dominance.

During the I/O keynote, Google announced Wear OS as the fastest-growing smartwatch platform globally, citing a five-fold growth since the launch of Wear OS 3 in 2021. With the release of the standalone WhatsApp app for Wear OS, Google has taken another significant step in its quest to compete in the smartwatch market. It remains to be seen how these developments will reshape the landscape of the smartwatch industry.