WhatsApp on the web may soon support seamless group voice and video calling, report says
WhatsApp is reportedly working to bring support for voice and video group calling features on the web. Users may soon experience more flexibility in using WhatsApp on multiple devices. The new update is also expected to have all the scheduling features.
According to a new report, WhatsApp is planning to add support for group voice and video calling on the web. The update, which is said to be currently in development, will allow users accessing WhatsApp from a web browser to experience the same group voice and video calling functionality as the standalone versions available for mobile and desktop. The idea behind this is believed to be to give more flexibility to those who share or use multiple devices, ensuring that users can stay connected and manage their communications efficiently, no matter what platform they are using.
According to a report from WABetainfo, WhatsApp is working hard to refine the user experience on the web, presumably so it’s on par with other platforms with the group calling update, which brings it one step closer to providing features you’d typically associate with dedicated services like Zoom and Google Meet. In the report, the popular WhatsApp feature tracking website mentions that WhatsApp may choose to limit the number of participants to 32, similar to the mobile version, but it may start with only 8 or 16 to ensure more stability. Any limits are yet to be confirmed by WhatsApp.
Group calls on the web can be complemented by other niceties such as the ability to create a call link directly from the group chat. It is expected that users will let people generate shareable links to join calls, potentially making it more convenient to join and organize group calls, especially for larger groups. By creating a link, users can invite participants even if they are not currently active in the chat, streamlining the process of bringing everyone together.
WhatsApp is also reportedly developing call scheduling for both individual and group chats. Users will be able to set a name, description and estimated start and end time for the scheduled call with it. The report says that scheduling a call does not mean that it will start automatically. Instead, WhatsApp Web can create an event that can be shared with participants, so everyone knows when the call is going to take place. Like Call Links, users may be able to specify whether the scheduled call is for voice or video. This scheduling feature is especially useful for coordinating meetings or events in advance, making sure all invitees are informed and prepared.
These upcoming features, whether group calling or call linking, or scheduling, are still under development and are expected to launch soon. WhatsApp has not yet confirmed that these features are in development, so we advise you to take the reports with a grain of salt.
