The pandemic has brought us as close as 25cms from our laptop screens and sometimes even less than that, lying unmoved on our beds in the quirkiest and lethargic positions. Unable to get the early morning meeting link from the WhatsApp group on the phone because the phone battery is dead and you forgot to switch on the charger button before sleeping sends a shiver down the spine recalling the last warning given by the boss to connect the meet at the time. But such instances shall be foregone soon owing to the new update of the multi-device feature of WhatsApp.
Why Whatsapp Multi-Device feature?
While the recent updates of the app include view once and never missing the group call feature, the multi-device system has been one of the most anticipated and called for the feature by the users, raising the bar of rivalry even more among the messaging applications, is still yet to hit the tech market. The new upgrade that allows 4 different devices to use the same account of WhatsApp, out of which one must be the primary smartphone with the account registered, brings it in the race of having PC dedicated applications like Telegram and Facebook messenger.
Initially, when the phone’s battery would go down or if it was not connected to the internet, the message and media transfer in WhatsApp Web would come to a halt and won’t work until the phone was charged or the internet connectivity was established again. Alternatively, to use WhatsApp without a smartphone would require an emulator such as “BlueStacks”, “Andy” or “NoxPlayer” for PC and Mac users.
However, the new multi-device support that has been rolled out for beta testers having the latest version of WhatsApp beta as of now, allows WhatsApp(Web/Desktop support) to work on multiple devices irrespective of the fact that the phone is active and connected to the internet.
The Opt-in Program
This opt-in feature is a trial version of the new possible update for WhatsApp Web, Desktop, and Portal. Personal messages, media, and calls are end-to-end encrypted. This beta version resolves the hassle of using the phone to scan the QR code and then sign in to the Web. However, if the phone remains unused for 14 days the linked devices shall become disconnected.
The beta version comes with minor unsupported such as:
⦁ Ability to view the live location on other connected devices. The message that pops up on viewing is:
⦁ Pining the chats on WhatsApp or Desktop is another unsupported feature. On trying the same, the message that comes up is:
⦁ The list also includes the inability to join or reset the group invites from WhatsApp Web or Desktop and can only be done via the smartphone.
⦁ The linked devices in this beta version cannot place a call or message on someone who uses an old version of WhatsApp on their phone.
⦁ A call also cannot be placed via Portal or WhatsApp Desktop to the devices that are linked but have not joined the multi-device beta.
⦁ The biggest disadvantage comes to the WhatsApp business users as they cant change their names or labels from the WhatsApp web or Desktop.
Steps to join and leave the multi-device beta
To join on an android phone:
⦁ Open WhatsApp and then the three dots on top.
⦁ Click on Linked Devices.
⦁ Click on Multi-device beta.
⦁ Tap Join beta.
Similarly, to join on IPhone:
⦁ Go to the Settings.
⦁ Click on Linked Devices.
⦁ Hit the Multi-device beta.
⦁ Finally, click on Join beta.
To leave multi-device beta on android:
⦁ Open WhatsApp and then the three dots on top.
⦁ Click on Linked Devices.
⦁ Click on Multi-device beta.
⦁ Click on Leave beta.
To leave the multi-device beta on iPhone:
⦁ Go to the WhatsApp Settings.
⦁ Click on Linked Devices.
⦁ Hit the Multi-device beta.
⦁ Click on Leave the beta.
The Message History on linked devices
Right after enrolling in the multi-device beta and linking the companion devices, the primary smartphone with the WhatsApp account sends a copy of the most latest message history that is end-to-end encrypted on this companion device where it is stored locally that stays on the servers until it reaches the newly linked device.
The release timeline has not been revealed for the same as of now. WhatsApp head Will Cathcart took to Twitter a few days back and further explained about the end-to-end encryption to maintain privacy and keep the data in sync seamlessly.
Similar tweets in the past put up flashbacks, making it more certain that “Privacy is a myth”.
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