WhatsApp has finally received an update to the latest iOS 7, getting several new features and enhancements to improve the messaging experience.

For iPhone owners, it's often a challenge to share things cross-platform, but WhatsApp has proved to be a popular choice for those living in Apple's walled garden. iPhone users often use WhatsApp to send files to friends who are using some other platform, and the app has become hugely popular on all operating systems because it facilitates cross-platform communication.

WhatsApp landed on iOS several years ago, but its developers have never been very prompt in issuing major updates. When the iPhone 5 first made its debut, for instance, WhatsApp took several months to become compatible with the smartphone.

With the new iOS 7, WhatsApp again took a couple of months to release the update. The good news is that WhatsApp is now finally compatible with iOS 7, which will likely make many users happy. It was long overdue, but it's better late than never.

The new WhatsApp for iOS brings along several changes designed to improve the messaging experience. The app now seems to be somewhat in line with Apple's flatter and cleaner iOS 7 interface, and it looks better overall.

The new version of the app also brings a new icon, allows for improved shared locations with 3-D map views, sports new notification sounds and alerts, and also displays larger thumbnails when users try to send photos and videos. This way, it's easier to see the files and send exactly what you want to send, reducing the chance of sending something else by accident.

The new WhatsApp for iOS has leaked quite a bit in various photos and videos recently, indicating that a major update was on its way. iPhone users on iOS 7 have been long waiting for this update, as the app is among the most popular messaging services out there. In fact, WhatsApp is even more popular than Facebook's Messenger service.

The new version of WhatsApp is now available as a free download from Apple's iTunes App Store. The app is compatible with iOS 4.3 or newer.