WhatsApp Multi Device support: Big setback likely for users when feature arrives

WhatsApp Multi Device support is arriving soon. The company is looking to bring a WhatsApp feature that will the same account to be used on up to four devices. Notably, WhatsApp will work even when the primary device does not have internet access. While we have previously reported that the feature could arrive within a 2-month period, it looks like there will be a serious limitation on the multi device support front, according to a new report.

According to a new report of the latest WhatsApp feature spotted by a leakster, the popular messaging app might not allow users to connect more than one smartphone as part of the multi device support when the feature arrives in the coming weeks. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and WhatsApp head Will Cathcart had previously confirmed to feature leaker WABetaInfo that the multi device beta testing could begin within a couple of months.

WhatsApp feature - four devices and 1 phone

The details of the new WhatsApp feature were published by the leakster, as part of version 2.21.14.1 of WhatsApp beta for Android that was recently released to testers on the Play Store. A new screenshot of the “Join Beta” page in the WhatsApp app was shared too, which states that “up to four additional devices and 1 phone can be used at once”. These can include WhatsApp Web, desktop or Facebook Portal devices.

Good news coming in future?

While the leaked screenshot suggests that users will not be able to use more than one phone on the same WhatsApp account when multi device support is launched, it is possible that support for multiple phones could come at a later stage. WABetaInfo believes this is possible because it previously discovered that the company is also working on a ‘logout’ option for linked mobile devices.

When WhatsApp multi device support will not work

We had previously reported that WhatsApp users would not be able to message users running an older version of WhatsApp on their phones when the multi device testing beta finally arrives. The screenshot of the latest beta version shows that this condition remains unchanged - it looks like users who sign up for the multi device beta will have to ask their contacts to update their WhatsApp app before they can message or call them, according to the report.