WhatsApp Biz Launches Beta Version For iOS

Following the launch of the WhatsApp Business app last year, the messaging platform is said to have rolled out a beta version for users of iOS. The service, which has been available for Android users, is designed to enable small businesses to use the messaging platform to interact with customers and to make profiles, BGR reported.

The messaging app, which users can reportedly download, comes with different backgrounds as well as messaging tools. It also lets users tap into away messages and quick replies, among other features. In addition, users can move their chat histories to WhatsApp Business from WhatsApp Messenger.

The app is reportedly available to those who have iOS 8 (or more recent versions). Users who open the app are reportedly shown a message that reads, “WhatsApp Business is a simple, secure and reliable way for businesses to connect with their customers.” It was also noted that WhatsApp is looking to offer a group invitation function for users of Android and iOS, the company is said to be planning a new layout for Android settings.

The news comes after the messaging app said in January that over five million companies were tapping into WhatsApp Business a year following its Android-based app launch. According to a blog post at the time, WhatsApp said it rolled out some of the most popular features of WhatsApp Business to desktop and the web to mark the app’s first year. Those features include chat list filtering, labels and quick replies. The company claims that using these features on a computer helps businesses save time.

WhatsApp wrote in the January blog post on its website, “We’re excited that we’ve helped millions of businesses grow. For example, in India, Bengaluru-based eyewear brand Glassic has told us that 30 percent of its new sales are generated through WhatsApp Business.”