There’s no doubt that WhatsApp’s planned multi-device functionality is eagerly awaited. Recent information suggests that the initial rollout may be limited to just one phone per account.
According to WABetaInfo, our hopes for proper multi-device support for the messaging app may need to be scaled back a little. WhatsApp Web, WhatsApp Desktop, and the Facebook Portal smart display will be the first to provide multi-device functionality. That’s particularly aggravating if, you planned to be able to use your WhatsApp account on both an iPhone and an Android phone at the same time – or even numerous Android phones.
Given WhatsApp’s global reach, this appears to be a major omission that will hopefully not be a long-term stumbling block. WABetaInfo released a screenshot that purports to clarify some further details about how WhatsApp’s multi-device support would work.
To guarantee that the functionality functions properly, it will be limited to four devices plus one smartphone, all of which must be linked and running the most recent version of the cross-platform messaging software.
The good news is that you won’t need to keep your device connected to the internet to use WhatsApp Web, desktop, or the Portal smart display. Given how your phone might hibernate and detach from companion apps, this is a welcome inclusion, as it allows you to send and receive messages and media using any active Wi-Fi from your other devices.
We’ll likely have to wait a while for multi-device capability to arrive in a future WhatsApp beta edition, but even with the constraints listed above, it’ll be a great addition. Let’s simply hope it develops further because a smartphone restriction feels like an enlargement of the existing relay feature.
