WhatsApp to compromise performance and reliability by rolling back its Windows app, resulting in certain features being eliminated and possibly new benefits emerging.
WhatsApp, the popular messaging app, has announced a significant shift in its Windows application. The company is moving away from its native Windows app and transitioning to a web wrapper version, utilising Microsoft's Edge WebView2 technology. This change is aimed at streamlining development by consolidating WhatsApp's codebase across platforms, but it comes with notable trade-offs in performance and user experience.
### Performance Impact
The new web wrapper version consumes approximately 30% more RAM than the native Windows app, primarily due to the multiple Chromium-based WebView2 subprocesses it uses for handling graphics, networking, and storage. Compared to the native app, which was optimised for Windows using a lightweight, single-process architecture, the web wrapper is slower and less responsive. The increased resource usage in the web wrapper is due to the browser environment it operates within.
### User Experience Impact
The interface of the web wrapper is reported to be more basic with a simplified settings UI, lacking some of the polish and responsiveness of the native app. Users familiar with the fast and lean native app may find the wrapper version feels like a step backward due to increased resource usage and less snappy behavior. However, the web wrapper adds support for newer features like WhatsApp Channels, and expanded capabilities for Status and Communities, which were not available in the older native app.
### Impact on Features and Development
The move to a unified web-based codebase is intended to simplify development and maintenance, reducing complexity and costs for Meta by supporting multiple platforms from a single codebase. Faster deployment of updates and new features is expected, as historically, the web WhatsApp version has seen quicker feature rollouts than native apps. The decision reflects a trade-off: development efficiency and feature parity versus optimised performance and native user experience.
Here's a summary table comparing the native Windows app and the web wrapper version:
| Aspect | Native Windows App | Web Wrapper Version (WebView2) | |----------------------|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Performance | More efficient, less RAM usage | ~30% more RAM, slower, more resource-heavy| | Responsiveness | Snappy, responsive UI | Less responsive; basic UI | | Features | Lacked some new features | Supports WhatsApp Channels, expanded Status/Communities | | Development | Multiple codebases to maintain | Single unified codebase, faster updates | | User Experience | Optimised for Windows OS | Browser-based, less polished experience |
In conclusion, while the move to a web wrapper may disappoint Windows users who value performance and a native feel, it enables Meta to reduce development overhead and deliver new WhatsApp features more rapidly on Windows. The impact is a more resource-hungry app with a simpler UI but improved feature support.
It's important to note that many developers and app enthusiasts are purists who prefer native apps. WhatsApp states that the native app is "Designed and optimised for your computer's operating system." Not mentioned in the document, but some features listed were never exclusive to the native version of WhatsApp, such as the ability to type on a larger keyboard for increased productivity. Notifications will work differently with the WhatsApp web wrapper. WhatsApp's official support document suggests that the native apps for Windows and Mac provide increased performance, reliability, more ways to collaborate, and features to improve productivity. WhatsApp is planning to replace its native Windows app with a web wrapper.
- The new web wrapper version of WhatsApp, relying on Microsoft's Edge WebView2 technology, is migrating from the native Windows app, affecting its development and user experience.
- The web wrapper consumes approximately 30% more RAM compared to the native app, a result of the multiple WebView2 subprocesses for handling graphics, networking, and storage.
- Microsoft's Outlook, a popular desktop application, might benefit from the advancements in technology that allows for such web wrapper transitions, improving its efficiency and feature support.
- As WhatsApp moves to a single unified codebase, developers can expect faster deployment of updates and new features, similar to the trend seen in smartphone apps like those on the Windows 11 and Xbox platforms.
- Following the shift, some PC users may miss the optimized performance and native feel of the desktop app, but they might gain access to new features such as WhatsApp Channels and expanded capabilities for Status and Communities.
- In the realm of technology, such as software development for Windows computers, smartphones, and even gadgets like the Xbox, this change signifies the evolving landscape where performance and user experience often trade off against development efficiency and feature parity.
