WhatsApp arrives for Windows Phone 8

Published by Ian Delaney on December 18, 2012

WhatsApp

Good news for owners of Windows Phone 8 Lumia smartphones. The enormously popular instant messaging client WhatsApp has been updated for the latest version of the operating system, joining Facebook Chat, MSN messaging, Skype, Viber and a host of other alternatives.

The developers were working with Nokia to produce a version that is properly optimised for the latest Windows Phone platform experience.

whatsappIn case WhatsApp is new to you, it’s for instant messaging using text, of course, but also allows you to send pictures, audio and video files. It’s also great for group chats, which can be tricky to manage using some of the alternatives.

Unlike SMS, WhatsApp uses your data connection, whether that’s 3G, LTE or WiFi, to send and receive messages. This can mean cost-savings for users, of course, which is another factor that has undoubtedly contributed to the popularity of the service.

Setting up WhatsApp is a two-step process. You download and install the app. Then you need to verify your phone number using the code from an SMS sent from the company’s servers. Once installed, it will automatically find the other WhatsApp users in your phonebook and add them its built-in phone book.

WhatsApp is free for the first 12 months, then costs $0.99 for the years thereafter.

Available across almost every smartphone platform, including Series 40 and Symbian, as well as Windows Phone, the app has a huge following – and there’s no problem messaging other users on a completely different type of phone. Like every other social network, if your friends are using WhatsApp, it’s a must-have app.

Comments

  • screeny2

    “The developers were working with Nokia to produce a version that is
    properly optimised for the latest Windows Phone platform experience.”

    What? It does not even support lockscreen notifications. And compared to the android/iOS version, this version is just a joke. Come on, you can do better than that.

  • http://www.talvbansal.com Talv

    wait this is the “special version” nokia were working with whatsapp on? this is the same poor one that was in the marketplace before. The symbian client was so much better than this.

    • Windows user

      so y they are not releasing this version on 7.5 if they know that is very bad

      • http://www.talvbansal.com Talv

        it is on WP7.5 and has been for ages

        • Windows user

          yeah… i know that but working very badly…read my below comments

    • Breakingillusions

      People can’t wait much longer they keep whining so they make it support wp8 as fast as they can yes its missing a lot of features but on bright side you can use the app and wait for future updates

  • http://twitter.com/gstaar3301 3301

    Haha this is a joke!! Even no lockscreen notifications in the version. The app is still the same, no new features.

  • Windows user

    I am using whatapp on lumia 7.5, and i am telling you guys it’s worst then any app in the world, with comparison to IOS and android it is nothing..

    it’s very very slow to load the first screen, slow to show messages, if we talk about lock screen notification, sometimes comes sometimes not… i know whatsup have to make its UI as like other apps of windows but i used other apps that are very fine…

    when i use android whats app that like butter and when i use windows whatsapp it’s like :*#@*&

    yes, one other thing windows whatsapp dont support long messages …. do something otherwise you will lost your users as u lost me …. FO

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003635518214 Gustav Christensson

    Duh… More Windows Phone 7.5 Neglect.

  • http://twitter.com/s_a_r_k_i_s S_A_R_K_I_S

    The app is very sluggish, doesn’t work properly and have to constantly go into the app and check messages, also I get messages twice or at times very late, already had the conversation yet it still thinks they are new….needs a fix. Lumia 920 user.

  • http://twitter.com/ale2999 Alessandro Anifowose

    Lockscreen notifications is a must.
    Also whatsapp needs to stop using the music routine to stay alive. I like knowing the song that i was listening

  • http://twitter.com/pohlipit Pete P

    This version really is sub-standard compared to the Android or even Symbian version. If you guys are trying to play in the same league as Apple and Samsung then you have to dish up something that is of equal standard.

  • Guest

    in lumia 820 we can not attach music file from music why
    in contact editing we can not edit others labels than main name . I have many contact with 5 to 8 nos and ind i want to give name to every mobile no in contact ,how its posiible

  • http://www.facebook.com/vasamitul Mitul Vasa

    Lockscreen notifications is not their. Missed important conversations on whatsapp because of that. You really need to update it..

  • disqus_BaGgHtW6gX

    Please Nokia fix this app, I am using a lumia 820 and am a frequent user of the app however I for the most part only receive the messages once I actually open the whatsapp. This is a major problem. Coming from nokia c7 where it worked perferctly..PLEASE

  • http://twitter.com/pohlipit Pete P

    The 2.9.2 update is terrible.
    I am sure all you Nokia employees would have installed the latest update and must agree that the quality of the update is terrible.
    its slow
    it crashes
    it drains the battery
    some features like sharing to WA directly from the gallery have been removed
    How could you let this happen if you are involved in the development of this App?