WhatsApp customers can now set the app as their default for calling and messaging on iPhones, marking a big shift in Apple’s strategy to third-party app integration. The change was first reported by WABetaInfo on X (previously Twitter) and was noticed in WhatsApp model 25.8.74 on the App Retailer. This replace aligns with the rising pattern of customers counting on internet-based communication apps moderately than conventional cellphone calls and SMS.
With this replace, WhatsApp now seems as an choice in iOS Settings → Apps → Default Apps, the place customers can choose it as their Messaging and Calling default. Apple launched the flexibility to set third-party apps as defaults in iOS 18.2, initially saying that the characteristic can be restricted to the European Union because of regulatory necessities. Nevertheless, the performance has since been made out there worldwide, giving iPhone customers larger management over their most well-liked communication platforms.
📝 WhatsApp beta for iOS 25.8.10.74: what’s new?
WhatsApp is rolling out a characteristic to set it because the default app for messages and calls, and it is out there to some beta testers!https://t.co/7CHWS8a9wu pic.twitter.com/zBmo2pYjSc
— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) March 27, 2025
By deciding on WhatsApp because the default, iPhones will mechanically route calls and messages by means of the app as an alternative of Apple’s built-in Messages, Cellphone, or FaceTime. For instance, when a person faucets the message or name buttons inside a contact’s profile within the Contacts app, iOS will immediately launch WhatsApp as an alternative of Apple’s native apps. This characteristic simplifies the method for customers who primarily talk through WhatsApp, lowering the necessity to manually swap between apps.
The transfer displays a broader shift in the best way folks talk, as encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp proceed to exchange conventional cellphone providers. It additionally highlights Apple’s evolving stance on third-party app integration, significantly in response to regulatory scrutiny and altering person expectations.
This replace advantages customers by offering extra flexibility and customization choices for his or her iPhone expertise. It additionally reinforces WhatsApp’s place as a dominant messaging platform globally, additional integrating it into every day communication workflows.
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