Apple has long been taking steps to make the user experience more flexible. The newest of these steps came with the iOS 18.2 update. With the update, iPhone users can select WhatsApp as an application determined for both search and messaging. This feature was previously announced only for users in the European Union. Following the update, the new option becomes activated when WhatsApp is upgraded to the App Store to 25.8.74.
Users can determine their preferences by entering Applications> Applications section from the Settings menu. From here, whatsapp can be easily assigned under the “search” and “messaging” options. Thus, the iPhone system knows this choice at the level.
Thanks to this change, for example, when a phone number in Safari is touched, the iPhone can now open WhatsApp directly. Similarly, when you press the message button on your person list, WhatsApp is preferred. This is an innovation enough to change habits in daily use. Especially for those who use WhatsApp intensively, the process becomes more fluent.
This step of Apple shows a little distance from the indoor ecosystem approach. It is noteworthy that users are given the freedom to choose which application to use. Although this flexibility seems to be of legal regulations in Europe, Apple chose to present this opportunity globally. This means a positive development for all users.
In addition, whatsApp’s deeper integrated work with the system can also provide advantage in different scenarios. For example, when you want to reach a person in the guide, it is no longer limited to SMS or imessage. Users can actively use WhatsApp, which is the most common and common application, for both types of communication. This makes Apple devices more personalizable.
In spite of everything, some users may think that Apple will not want to keep their applications in the background. However, this expansion, which is seen with iOS 18.2, signals that similar fields can be opened to other applications in the future. Google’s long -standing freedom of application on Android side is now also found in iOS. Thus, the differences between the platforms closes a little more.
The expansion of WhatsApp integration creates new opportunities for developers
In addition to all these, whatsApp’s integrated at this level creates new opportunities for application developers. Other applications with similar features can also request more system access in iOS ecosystem. This can make competition more contentious for third -party applications. In terms of users, the freedom of election increases clearly.