WhatsApp didn’t have a true desktop version until recently. Both the Windows and Mac apps were just web versions wrapped in an Electron shell. This changed last year when Windows got a native version and macOS native version went into beta. It was originally a closed beta available only to TestFlight attendees, but is now available to anyone (using a Mac).
You can download it from the official site. Available on macOS Big Sur and later. The site warns that this version is still in early development.
Native WhatsApp for macOS enters public beta
Interestingly, the WhatsApp team used Apple’s Mac Catalyst framework. This makes it easy for developers to build apps that work on both his iPadOS and macOS. This is interesting because there is no version of his WhatsApp for iPad (users are expected to use her web version instead). This is subject to change once this app exits beta.
In any case, the native app should run faster and be more efficient on Mac hardware (as is the Windows version). It’s good that the old Electron versions are gone.
Source | Via
