WhatsApp CarPlay App Revealed in Beta: Focus on Calls, Limited Chat Features

WhatsApp is working on a native experience for cars via Apple CarPlay, giving users easier access to their communications when driving. While it is already possible to use WhatsApp hands-free via Siri voice commands, the process is not as easy or flexible as using iMessage or the default cellular calling functionality via CarPlay. The new implementation will make it easier for people to check their communication history, send messages, return missed calls, and more, but there are some restrictions on features in order to minimise driver distraction.

Users will see three tabs across the top of their car’s central infotainment screen – Chats, Calls, and Favourites. The first contains a list of recent chats, but users will not be able to open them and scroll through their message history, so their eyes remain on the road. The list only serves to show when the most recent interaction in that chat was, if they are pinned or muted, and whether there are any unread messages. Users can send a message using voice dictation. An “unread chats” indicator also lets users quickly see all missed messages in one place.

The Calls tab shows a call history list in reverse chronological order, along with time stamps. Users can see whether calls were incoming, outgoing, or missed. Tapping an entry will place a call to that contact, and users can also initiate a new call using a Siri command. Contact information including profile pictures is also shown. The third tab shows a user’s favourites, mirroring the list they create on their phones, to quickly make a call or send a message.

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Miscellaneous features include support for light and dark mode. At this time there doesn’t appear to be any support for WhatsApp statuses. The CarPlay experience complements WhatsApp on a smartphone, but is not an alternative to it.

Confirmation of the latest WhatsApp beta, along with screenshots, were posted online by WABetaInfo. The beta version is available only to those registered with TestFlight, the iOS beta testing channel. Casual users are warned not to install this on their primary device as it might be unstable and have several bugs. This early version also might not have all the features and capabilities of the full release, which is expected to be announced in the coming weeks or months.