WhatsApp for iPhone may soon let users have multiple accounts on one device – Digital Trends
If you use the popular messaging app WhatsApp on an iPhone, there may be times when you wish you had the ability to add more than one account. The good news is that a recent update for WhatsApp, released via Apple’s TestFlight beta program, includes the feature, suggesting that it could be rolled out soon for everyone using WhatsApp on an iPhone.Android users will be scoffing at this news, as the feature has been available for WhatsApp on that platform since 2023. But hey, better late than never.Setting up additional WhatsApp accounts on a single device can be done in a few steps, though you’ll need to have another phone number or a phone that supports more than one SIM card, or eSim.WABetaInfo, which first reported the incoming feature, confirmed that the recent update “eliminated the need for multiple devices or parallel apps to manage different WhatsApp accounts, simplifying account management and enhancing convenience for users.”iPhone users will be able to add a new account to WhatsApp using two different methods. The first involves setting up the device as a primary account, while the second lets you scan a QR code to link the new account as a companion.While users will be able to keep all of their conversations organized within a single app, elements such as notifications, chats, backups, and settings will remain distinct for the different accounts, as each one will operate independently within the app, WABetaInfo said.Up to now, a workaround has seen users upload the WhatsApp Business app and using another number for that account, but the new feature will let you use the main app to manage both numbers at the same time, meaning you’ll no longer have to jump between apps.There are lots of reasons why someone might want to have multiple WhatsApp accounts on one phone. Keeping a separation between work and personal communications is an obvious one, and if you operate multiple businesses then separating these will help you to manage things like customer interactions and branding for each operation. Additionally, some folks may wish to create different personas or profiles for various social circles or interests.Coming late to WhatsApp? Digital Trends has everything you need to know.What a whirlwind 2024 has been for the mobile industry. We got all the usual suspects releasing their flagship phones for the year, and it was certainly an impressive slate of options.As you may know, I’ve been an iPhone user since the original, and I’ve had every generation of iPhone, including the iPhone 16 Pro this year. But since I joined Digital Trends a couple of years ago, I’ve got my fill of Android phones, too. And this year, this is the one that stood out to me the most: the Google Pixel 9 Pro.
The pink Pro phone I was looking forIf you wish to use an iPhone with virtually no bezels around the screen, you will need to wait a little longer than initially thought. A new industry report says the release of Apple’s long-rumored OLED display with “zero bezels” for the iPhone has slid further into an uncertain timeline.South Korean outlet The Elec, which was the first to report of the existence of a “zero-bezel” iPhone display, has now reported the launch date is unforeseeable because the technology “is not yet developed enough.”Apple’s Messages app has certainly come a long way. When the first iPhone launched in 2007, it could only send SMS — there weren’t even picture messages. Then it got MMS protocol support in iPhone OS 3.0 with the iPhone 3GS. With iPhone OS 5.0, Apple implemented its own iMessage chat protocol, making it easy for Apple users to communicate with other Apple device users.However, when it came to messaging Android users, Apple dragged its feet for the longest time, sticking with SMS and MMS, which aren’t encrypted and don’t offer full-quality photo and video sending. It also sparked the whole blue bubble versus green bubble war.Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks.
