Whatsapp for desktop updates

[Wando64]

Is anyone else bemused by the extremely frequent updates of WhatsApp for desktop (at least weekly, if not more frequent)?
Nothing ever is changing in the App, yet the updates keep on coming, so much so that I am smelling a rat.
Yes, I know they will be correcting some bugs and that will not be an immediately apparent change, but how many bugs can you fix week after week after week after week?

What can a developer gain from issuing frequent regular updates even though they have not made any change to the App?

Please no sermons about the general principle of not using Apps made by Facebook.
I agree with you, but I must use WhatsApp a lot and the Desktop App is extremely useful and practical.

 

[DavidQPR]

I know what you mean. It seems to be updated at least three times a week. I haven’t been able to use it for ages as it always says I’m not connected to the internet despite uninstalling and reinstalling. I’m using a different one now but it doesn’t have the video call capability of the original WhatsApp

 

[Unsupported]

Please no sermons about the general principle of not using Apps made by Facebook.
I agree with you, but I must use WhatsApp a lot and the Desktop App is extremely useful and practical.

You can always use https://web.whatsapp.com

That's what I do.

 

[DavidQPR]

I didn't know there was a web portal. Shame it doesn't have video calling🙁. Thanks for the info it will be useful

 

[Unsupported]

I didn't know there was a web portal. Shame it doesn't have video calling🙁. Thanks for the info it will be useful

I don't use the video feature on my iPhone so I don't miss it. I use the web version to download or send files to and from my MBP.

I don't want to preach, but I only use Facebook on my MBP. I try to keep 3rd party apps on my devices to a minimum.

 

[Wando64]

I will give the Web portal a go and see how it goes (it is essential that it remains connected after sleeping the Mac).

However, I remain curious as to whether there is anything to be gained (from a developer's point of view) from releasing un-necessary updates and having users regularly installing new versions.
I really do not believe that the Mac App is genuinely updated as often as they release "new versions".

 

[Unsupported]

I will give the Web portal a go and see how it goes (it is essential that it remains connected after sleeping the Mac).

Out of curiosity I just tried to sleep the Mac while connected to https://web.whatsapp.com and it was still connected when I woke it up, although I don't see the point in sleeping the Mac as it's the iPhone that needs to be connected meanwhile.

 

[Wando64]

Out of curiosity I just tried to sleep the Mac while connected to https://web.whatsapp.com and it was still connected when I woke it up, although I don't see the point in sleeping the Mac as it's the iPhone that needs to be connected meanwhile.

Indeed, but with the desktop App you get a dialog asking if you want to use WhatsApp on the Mac App, without having to repeat the QR pairing process.

 

[Unsupported]

Indeed, but with the desktop App you get a dialog asking if you want to use WhatsApp on the Mac App, without having to repeat the QR pairing process.

I didn't need to repeat the QR pairing. When I woke the Mac the web interface was still active. Perhaps it's a different story if the Mac is sleeping for longer. In any case reading the QR only takes a moment.

 

[maternidad]

There certainly are changes, even if minimal, or of marginal and prolonged effects (like those of refactorings). I’m not sure why the frequency is so high, however. If the updates have all been recent, it may not be very atypical that they are urgent fixes for security vulnerabilities.