Meta brings a standalone WhatsApp Messenger for CarPlay

After months of testing, Meta has begun rolling out the standalone WhatsApp Messenger for CarPlay-compatible automobiles worldwide.

The new WhatsApp for CarPlay is now available on the Apple App Store. Since it is a phased rollout, it will take some time to reach the corners of the world.

With native support on the CarPlay platform, car users will be able to glance at call notifications and messages without having to pick up the phone to screen them.

The texts and messages sent to WhatsApp will be directly visible on the CarPlay screen, or they can be read out loud, and most importantly, the user will be able to check the chat list and reply back when time permits.

It is the first tab of the app that lets users see their recent conversations, and it covers interactions from the past 20 to 25 days. It should be noted that it is not possible to open a specific conversation to read its chat history. It is done intentionally, so as to prevent the user from getting distracted while driving the car.

In a related development, Meta has begun a phased rollout of an Instagram-like 'Username for WhatsApp.

Select WhatsApp users are getting the new option Username in the 'profile tab' along with existing options- Name, Phone, and About section of the messenger app.

This new option will allow the user to keep his/her phone number private.

Further, during the activation of the username, the subscriber will get a username key, and this will protect the phone number from being exposed.

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