WhatsApp for Windows Phone returns to Microsoft app store

The WhatsApp Windows Phone 8.1 app has been reintroduced to the Windows Phone store, after being pulled two weeks ago because of technical issues.

Developers designing a beta version of the app for Windows Phone 8.1 found it didn't run as planned, and - in some cases - didn't work at all.

Even though the app still worked on Windows Phone 8, it was removed from the store while its development team worked on a fixed.

During this time, any attempts to find it return an error.

In a statement released at the time of the app's withdrawel several weeks ago to Windows Phone Central the WhatsApp development team said: "Unfortunately due to technical issues, we have chosen to un-publish WhatsApp Messenger on the Windows Phone platform.

"We are working closely with Microsoft to resolve the issues and hope to return to the store shortly. We apologise to our users for the temporary inconvenience."

However, the app was reinstated on Friday and has been updated to include a raft of new features.

These include bolstered privacy settings, more customisation options and various bug fixes.

WhatsApp was bought up by Facebook in February 2014 in a deal worth $19 billion (11 billion).

Founder Jan Koum dismissed fears following the acquisition that users of the messaging platform would be prone to snooping: "If partnering with Facebook meant that we had to change our values, we wouldn't have done it," he said.

This story was originally published on 20 May 2014, but was updated to reflect the reinstatement of WhatsApp within the Windows store.