WhatsApp has a huge market share when compared to its competitors like Viber, Line, WeChat, Hike, Telegram, etc., but it is still lacking some features such as video calling, voice calling, stickers, and a desktop client. It looks like WhatsApp has been working on some of these missing features. A few months ago, it was being reported that WhatsApp is working on Voice Calling feature, but its release has been delayed. Pavel Durov, Founder of Telegram, has revealed in an Interview that WhatsApp was trying to hire their web developer, hinting towards WhatsApp’s plans to build a desktop/web client.
Now, the guys over at AndroidWorld.nl and the team behind unofficial WhatsApp API have delved deeper into WhatsApp’s APK (v2.11.471) and found interesting bits of information. The code has several mentions about WhatsApp Web and logging in and out of a computer.
<string name=”can_not_start_voip_call_in_phone_call”>”You cannot place a WhatsApp call if you’re already on a phone call.”</string>
<string name=”confirmation_delete_all_qr”>Are you sure you want to log out from all computers?</string>
<string name=”currently_logged_into”>Logged in computers</string>
<string name=”delete_all_qr”>Log out from all computers</string>
<string name=”location_not_available”>Location is not available</string>
<string name=”log_out”>Log out</string>
<string name=”menuitem_whatsapp_web”>WhatsApp Web</string>
<string name=”qr_code_hint_2″>Visit %s on your computer</string>
<string name=”voip_call_bluetooth_toggle_description”>Toggle Bluetooth</string>
<string name=”web_session_active”>Online</string>
<string name=”web_session_description_place_browser_os”>”Started in %1$s %2$s”</string>
<string name=”web_session_last_date”>Last active %s</string>
<string name=”web_session_last_today_at”>Last active today at %s</string>
<string name=”web_session_last_yesterday_at”>Last active yesterday at %s</string>
<string name=”whatsapp_web”>WhatsApp Web</string>
WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook for $19 billion but we have not seen any integration with Facebook yet. WhatsApp Web could’ve used Facebook login for signing in to the account, instead it looks like the web client might use QR code scanning for the process, similar to Telegram. The feature might not come out soon but when it does, it will see huge support from the users. What are your thoughts about a web client for WhatsApp?
Computer science engineer turned technology blogger. Following consumer electronics industry closely from 2006, he can now predict pretty much where the market is heading. He has a dream to own Android, Windows Phone and iOS smartphones all at the same time.
