Exclusive: why WhatsApp Web is not on iOS (nor will it be soon)

WhatsApp finally announced the release of WhatsApp Web . But the surprise came also a partial disappointment is not available for users of iOS. The point is that, although probably come someday, will not be soon. This is the reason.



WhatsApp has confirmed the exact reason why the web version is not available on iOS. Technically, the reasons are based on the company's decision that no server to store your messages. Although respectable, this forces clients that do support Web WhatsApp turn to act server to display your messages on your desktop. In other words, every time you use WhatsApp via Web're carrying messages directly from your smartphone, without intermediaries. But that's not all. The important thing is that we could take a while to see WhatsApp Web for iOS.

According to current parameters relating to the background execution of iOS, that function is impossible. According iOS engineers and knowledgeable in San Francisco plans WhatsApp with whom we have consulted:

The APIs of multitasking in iOS only allow us to do certain specific functions when an application is in the background. For what it tries to do WhatsApp, an iOS application should be able to maintain an open connection to a server, or accept incoming connections from the browser, regardless of whether the user has put the app in the background.

WhatsApp sources (and own message Jan Koum, CEO at Facebook) also confirm us that the current model of connection between both platforms the ball is now on the roof of Apple. Until the platform is not something more flexible probably will not see WhatsApp Web for iOS. The firm intention of the company, though, is to the system as soon as possible

And only browsers Chrome, the fault lies with WebRTC

WebRTC is a standard developed by the World Wide Consortium (W3C), which allows browsers to make voice calls, video chat and especially real-time communication, which is the part that affects WhatsApp Web (for the moment, because calls via VoIP are underway)

To date, the browser that supports better is Chrome , although some like Opera or Firefox and do part. In the background does not matter, because at least for the moment and as confirmation of WhatsApp is blocked from the backend and various parameters more as the user agent running in another browser than that of Google. This restriction itself is likely to get up much earlier as Firefox, Opera, Safari and other browsers WhatsApp update their standards and include them in the service.