Android smartwatches to get WhatsApp - allowing users to take calls, reply messages

Users of Android smartwatches will now be able to take calls on Whatsapp and reply to messages without their smartphones.

Popular messaging platform Whatsapp rolled out a smartwatch version of its app to users on Wednesday that will be compatible with smartwatches that run Google’s Wear OS 3 operating system.

Users will be able to respond to messages using their voice or with emojis, quick replies or text without needing their phones nearby or with them to stay connected, said Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg in a statement.

Meta is the parent company of Whatsapp and social media platforms Facebook and Instagram.

Users will also be able to take calls directly from their smartwatch.

News of the smartwatch app was first announced in May during Google’s I/O conference with a beta-version of the app released at the time, albeit with limited functions.

The Apple Watch, which operates on Apple’s watchOS, does not currently have its own version of Whatsapp.

Wear OS and Android are both developed by Google.

Mr Zuckerberg added that Meta was looking forward to bringing Whatsapp to more devices in the future.