WhatsApp spotted working on automatic chat history syncing for companion device
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Gone are the days of painfully slow update periods from WhatsApp. The Meta-owned company now keeps adding or testing new features for its service almost every other day. One serious pain point for WhatsApp remains, though: the inability to use it on multiple smartphones simultaneously.
The messaging platform has been working on multi-device 2.0 with companion device support since last year to address this drawback, but we have yet to see it go live. More details about this feature have now emerged, reaffirming that it is still under development.
The enhanced multi-device support in WhatsApp will allow you to add a second smartphone as a companion device. WABetaInfo has now found references to the messaging platform syncing your chat history across mobile devices in the latest WhatsApp beta for Android v2.22.15.13. The syncing process will seemingly be automatic when you log into a companion device. However, depending on your number of conversations, the process could take a while to complete. It is a small development that nonetheless confirms that companion device support should eventually come to the platform.
Previous screenshots have confirmed that when you switch to a different WhatsApp account on a companion device, the app will remove all existing chats from that device for safety and privacy reasons. Unfortunately, there's no way to enable companion mode on WhatsApp beta yet. You will have to wait until the service decides the feature is ready for public testing through its beta channel.
Currently, you are limited to using WhatsApp on one smartphone and three other devices like desktop computers and laptops. The linked devices will continue to receive messages even if the primary smartphone is not online. Telegram, meanwhile, can be used on multiple smartphones simultaneously.
Despite its popularity, the inability to use WhatsApp on more than one smartphone is a significant drawback that needs to be addressed.–androidpolice.com