The Meta-owned messaging platform has officially “deprecated” the Electron app for Windows, as WABetaInfo reported Tuesday.
Upon version expiration, users will be prompted to migrate to the new native app as a replacement for the outdated version, ensuring uninterrupted use of the messaging app on their desktops.
The motive behind this initiative is to provide a better, stable and feature-rich messaging experience on desktop devices. However, some users have expressed dissatisfaction with the rapid transition to the native app and the temporary absence of business tools.
After launching the Electron version on Windows, users are instructed to switch to the newly introduced native app to continue accessing WhatsApp on their desktop devices. In fact, the deprecation was no surprise, as WhatsApp notified users four weeks ago via a prominently displayed countdown on the app’s main screen.
After serving as a solution for using WhatsApp on desktop devices for many years, the application has officially entered the final phase of its life, providing users with an app based on the Electron framework.
As shown in the screenshot, users who open the Electron-based WhatsApp desktop application will face an expiration message. This message clearly informs them that the app is no longer supported and urges them to migrate to the new native app to continue using WhatsApp on their desktop computers.
Currently, the deprecation of the Electron app seems to be focused on WhatsApp Desktop for Windows alone, while the stability of the native client has been established since the previous year.
The Electron Framework allows developers to construct cross-platform desktop apps using web technologies, allowing them to create a single code base that operates seamlessly across many operating systems like as Windows and macOS.
These apps, however, may not be fully optimized because they are meant to function on several operating systems and may demand large resources.
