Earlier last week at the Build 2017 developer conference, Microsoft announced that it was bulking up the Windows Store to make it more robust for Windows 10 (S) users. While Apple and Spotify were called out on stage for porting their apps to the Windows Store but the wind direction seems to suggest another pretty big name is joining the league as well. And that’s, WhatsApp.
While the messaging giant had already made its Windows and Mac desktop apps available early a year ago, WhatsApp now seems to be planning a jump to the Windows Store. This will ease the process of installing the client on Windows 10 PCs, where you currently have to navigate to WhatsApp.com and download the installer. But, once its Desktop app is formally launched on the Windows Store, you can simply tap install and get the desktop app.
MSPoweruser today reports that a listing for the WhatsApp Desktop app has popped up on the Windows Store and they were also able to try it out. But, we aren’t seeing the desktop app at the instant and the link for the app also suggests that it is ‘currently unavailable’ on the Windows Store. But, the appearance of the listing means that it could soon make an official debut on Windows Store in the coming months. The publication also mentions,
The WhatsApp Desktop app on Windows 10 has the default Windows 10 icons (Segoe MDL2 icons) rather than the ones used by WhatsApp Web.
As for the app itself, WhatsApp hasn’t any huge changes and still relies on the classic wrapped interface to deliver its web platform via an official desktop app. It still requires you to scan the QR code on screen to connect the messaging client to the web interface, which requires the mobile client to be active at all times. This is an annoying little quirk but can be ignored when desktop clients allow you to share images, videos and documents from your system.
WhatsApp will join Microsoft’s growing arsenal of Win32 apps that have been ported over to the Windows Store. It has already seen 1,000 desktop apps make their way to the Windows Store in the past year since the launch of Desktop Bridge. The latest and greatest additions to the come in the form of iTunes and Spotify music player. They’ll be immensely helpful for students, who’ll buy Windows 10 S devices, as they may have iOS devices or need music to concentrate.
