The Amazfit GTS 2 mini is a popular smartwatch that offers many useful features, including activity tracking, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and more. One common question about the GTS 2 mini is whether it supports using WhatsApp, the popular messaging app. In this detailed article, we’ll take a close look at WhatsApp support on the Amazfit GTS 2 mini and provide a definitive answer.
WhatsApp Support on Wearables
In general, most smartwatches and fitness trackers do not natively support installing and using WhatsApp. This is because WhatsApp is primarily designed for smartphones, not small-screen wearable devices. However, some wearables do offer limited WhatsApp integration in the form of notifications and quick replies.
When paired with an Android phone, many wearables can display WhatsApp message notifications and allow users to respond with quick canned replies. But the full WhatsApp experience of messaging, voice notes, video calls, etc is not available on most wearables. This is the case with the Amazfit GTS 2 mini as well.
WhatsApp Notifications on Amazfit GTS 2 Mini
The Amazfit GTS 2 mini can receive WhatsApp notifications from your paired Android phone. When you get a new WhatsApp message, a notification will pop up on your GTS 2 mini’s display, showing the contact name or group chat name and a preview of the message.
Tapping on the WhatsApp notification will expand it to show more message preview text. However, you cannot directly interact with the WhatsApp notification or message on the GTS 2 mini. You cannot open the WhatsApp app or access your full messaging threads on the watch.
Quick replies
The GTS 2 mini does allow you to quickly reply to WhatsApp notifications using preset quick replies. When you receive a WhatsApp notification, tap the reply button and you’ll see a list of predefined quick reply messages like “Thanks”, “OK”, “Call you later”, etc. Select one to send it as a reply to the sender.
While handy, quick replies are limited and you cannot type out custom messages. But it allows you to briefly acknowledge messages without taking out your phone.
Custom notifications
In the Zepp app paired with your GTS 2 mini, you can customize WhatsApp notification settings. This includes turning notifications on/off, setting the vibration pattern, enabling/disabling sound alerts, and more. You can fine-tune WhatsApp notifications to suit your preferences.
Third-party apps
Some third-party apps like FeelFIT and Tools & Mi Band allow you to send canned WhatsApp messages from the Amazfit GTS 2 mini watch. You can install these apps on your Android phone, link them to your watch, and tap to send preset WhatsApp replies.
Again, you cannot type custom WhatsApp messages directly on the GTS 2 mini. But these apps give you more quick reply options compared to the default WhatsApp integration.
No Full WhatsApp Support
To summarize, while you can view WhatsApp notifications and send quick replies on the Amazfit GTS 2 mini, you do not get complete WhatsApp messaging capabilities on the watch itself. There is no official WhatsApp app for the GTS 2 mini.
You cannot directly access your WhatsApp contacts, messaging threads, send voice notes, make WhatsApp calls, or use any advanced features. The GTS 2 mini only acts as a secondary display for incoming WhatsApp alerts.
Limitations
There are a few reasons why full WhatsApp support is not currently available on the Amazfit GTS 2 mini:
- Small screen size – The GTS 2 mini’s 1.55″ rectangular display is too compact for comfortably typing out messages or reading long conversations.
- Limited input methods – The watch does not have a keyboard or microphone for easily composing messages and voice notes.
- OS and hardware constraints – The GTS 2 mini runs Amazfit’s proprietary OS, which does not support installing third-party apps like WhatsApp.
- Battery life – Using battery-intensive apps like WhatsApp would significantly reduce the GTS 2 mini’s typical 7-day battery life.
- Not a priority – Messaging is not a core use case for fitness-focused watches like the GTS 2 mini.
While the technical capabilities are a factor, the limited WhatsApp support is also a deliberate design choice by Amazfit to optimize the GTS 2 mini for its primary fitness tracking functionality.
Alternative Messaging Options
If you want to be able to message right from your wrist, here are some alternative messaging apps and features available on the Amazfit GTS 2 mini:
SMS
The GTS 2 mini allows you to send and receive SMS text messages if your watch is connected to an Android phone. While not as advanced as WhatsApp, SMS provides basic messaging capabilities.
You can get email notifications on your GTS 2 mini and tap to read full emails. Replying to emails is limited to canned quick replies.
Voice assistant
Trigger Alexa on your GTS 2 mini to make calls, set reminders, control smart home devices, and more with your voice.
Music playback
The GTS 2 mini lets you store and listen to music on the go by pairing Bluetooth headphones. You can also control music playback on your phone.
Conclusion
The Amazfit GTS 2 mini smartwatch does not fully support WhatsApp messaging primarily due to hardware and software limitations. You can view WhatsApp notifications and respond with quick replies, but cannot access the full app. For basic messaging needs, you can use SMS, email, voice assistants, and music playback on the GTS 2 mini instead. But for full-featured WhatsApp access, you’ll need to use your paired smartphone.