Massively popular messaging service WhatsApp sure took its time updating to the new iOS 7 design. A recent update, however, adapts to the minimalist look of iOS 7 and adds a few new extra features. The new version of WhatsApp is available in the App Store and is optimized for the iPhone 5, 5s and 5c's 4-inch display.
The app's new layout ditches visual navigation buttons and skeuomorphic design for the flat, transparent and simplified look championed by iOS 7. Beyond its new design, WhatsApp now lets you broadcast a message to multiple people or groups. It also includes an improved location sharing feature, larger thumbnail photos, new notification alerts and sounds, and the ability to crop images before sending them.
With 350 million monthly users—at last count—WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging platforms out there. The company makes its money by charging users a one time fee to send unlimited messages, but faces growing competition from apps like Snapchat in the U.S. as well as Chinese mobile companies like Tencent.
WhatsApp helped spark a revolution in messaging apps, turning the traditional SMS model on its head. Whether it can continue to stand out from the rest of the pack in the future is unclear, though for now the service shows no signs of losing momentum.
