WhatsApp Launches Game-Changing Update For All iPhone Users
Updated March 29 with more details of the change and how it will work for iPhone users.
WhatsApp users on Apple iPhone can now choose the popular messaging service as their default app, from today. It will also work for calls and there are ramifications which will apply with Siri, too—more details below.
WhatsApp updated on iPhone
It's all a bit of a surprise, because Apple had previously said that the capability to pick preferred default apps would be for European Union users only, but now it's available worldwide.
Until now, it was possible to choose various email apps as default, or choose between FaceTime, Zoom or the iPhone built-in Phone app for calls.
But the option to choose WhatsApp as your messaging service is brand-new, and arrived on Thursday, March 27 with the latest app update for iOS, version 25.8.74.
WABetaInfo noticed the update and said it was available for some beta testers, but it's now rolling out for general use. As soon as you've updated to the latest version, you should see it as an option.
Here's what to do after updating: open the Settings app on the iPhone, choose Apps and then the section at the top of the next page marked Default Apps. Here, you'll find a list of default apps you can manage, such as email, call filtering, browser and more. Under Messaging, you'll see two options, Messages (the iPhone's iMessages) or WhatsApp.
The same applies for Calling apps. Previously, I could choose between FaceTime, Phone and Zoom for my default calling app. After the update, WhatsApp was added to the list.
Of course, changing the default won't stop calls coming through by Phone or other apps, but it means that, for instance, if you choose a phone number in Apple's Contacts app and click on it, it'll dial via WhatsApp instead of the Phone app.
Similarly, when you want to message someone, it'll send it via WhatsApp by default if you've made the change.
As Millie Turner at The Sun has pointed out, the update will change how Siri behaves. 'if you tap a phone number in the Contacts app, it will automatically dial them on WhatsApp instead of via the native Phone app. Same goes for if you want Siri to draft a hands-free message to one of your contacts - the text will be sent via WhatsApp over iMessage,' the report notes.
Turner also says that initial reactions have been uneven. 'The feature has been met with a mixed reception - with some WhatsApp users saying they're not keen on having a third-party app handle all their communications,' the newspaper says, quoting users on X who are reluctant to trust their calls and texts to third-party apps.
How big a difference will this make? Outside the U.S., where WhatsApp has a massive following, it's likely it will have an impact, for sure. But users in the States may feel they're happy with the regular Phone or FaceTime apps for calls, and Messages—with those blue bubbles—for texting.
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