Last month, the popular Facebook-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp revealed multi-device functionality. The feature as of now is part of the WhatsApp beta program available to enrolled beta users. To join the beta, open WhatsApp > Settings tab > Linked Devices > Multi-Device Beta. As the name suggests, the feature allows you to use WhatsApp on up to four companion devices at a time.
Before you ask, yes, this feature is a much-needed enhancement to the existing WhatsApp web feature where you could only connect to one companion device at one time, Not only that, you always needed your main device that is your phone to be connected and nearby.
However, with the debut of the multi-device feature, you no longer need your phone nearby, you just link it to the companion device of your choice and use all of them independently for up to 14 days before relinking the connection with your iPhone.
Now, building upon this, WhatsApp is developing multi-device 2.0 where Apple’s iPad is added to the mix as per WABetaInfo. To makes things sweeter, the source has clarified that iPadOS will actually get a dedicated WhatsApp instead of a web app as part of the new multi-device 2.0 feature.
The iPadOS app will be able to work independently provided you first link it via the main device that is your iPhone as usual. On that note, Android users can now expect support for Android tablets soon.
Please be aware that multi-device functionality is still available for WhatsApp for iPhone beta users out there and that the 2.0 version of the same will only be available to beta users upon launch.