Updated August 13, 2012 12:25 CET to add problems and workaround from Nokia

The popular Instant Messenger WhatsApp is finally back in Marketplace. The application was away from Windows Phone’s store for more than one week, which was accompanied by various rumors.

Last Friday, Nokia Netherlands already confirmed with WhatsAppen.nl that the app was on its way and should be available in the next 48 hours. Well, they were right!

The reason for the disappearance is still a bit mysterious but the most important is that Windows Phone users are able to download WhatsApp again (version 2.8.0.0).

Problems

In the meantime, it’s raining complaints from users. Some users can’t download the application and get an error at 70 or 75 percent. Nokia Worldwide has announced that it has reported the problems. They advise that, as a workaround, you uninstall your old Whatsapp and download and install version 2.8 afresh from the Marketplace rather than allowing the normal Marketplace update process to run; initial testing indicates that users who take this route do not have any problems with the app. Comments on other websites show that some people can’t download it at all after they uninstall the app, so consider that before trying this workaround.

For some others who were able to install the app, the app crashes during use or becomes very slow. However, there are also a lot of people without any problems, but it seems that the new version contains some bugs.

Since WhatsApp last week ignored our inquiries about the disappearance and the estimated return, we don’t feel it’s our call to collect and report the issues this time. Remarkably enough, the information today comes again from Nokia. Probably WhatsApp is more important to Nokia and their users than vice versa?