If we browse the Apple application store for macOS, we will find the WhatsApp application. This app was developed on Electron, a platform that has become so outdated that Apple has started rejecting apps made with this solution. Present Time Catalystan important Apple project that makes it easy for developers to create native apps for iOS, macOS or iPad.

WhatsApp is finally releasing the DMG file to download the new Catalyst-based WhatsApp beta so we can test it in case we don’t want to do it via Testflight. It is a much more optimized app for macOS, especially for those with Apple M processors.

Native WhatsApp, finally for everyone

In mid-July, we knew that WhatsApp was working on a version of WhatsApp optimized for Apple Silicon. new release improved, rebuilt on Catalyst for better compatibility and fluency. The beta phase has started for those who can register on Testflight on a very limited basis, but it is now accessible to all users.

The native version of WhatsApp offers certain changes in its interface compared to the version we know before. A new side menu With the native interface of macOS, it provides a view on the left with shortcuts to the chat, calls, archived, starred and settings tabs.

Since it is an application developed under Catalyst, it feels like you are using a 100% native macOS application. Despite being in beta, the operation is flawless: fast, stable and error-free in the minutes of use we have. Specifically, we tested it with a Mac Mini M1 with 8GB of RAM, which is a pretty modest configuration.

This version will be tested for a while and then it will replace the current app we found in the Apple app store. The current version is practically WhatsApp Web, which is slightly underperforming and far from the native version. There is no date for the stable release to arrive.however the beta seems to meet the minimum for daily use on our mainframe.