WhatsApp has announced a slew of new features aimed specifically at improving users’ experience with video calling. The update actually brings a lot of features that were previously added to the app earlier this year for voice calls.
First up, you can now have up to 32 people on a video, four times the previous limit, if you’re feeling extra sociable. The increased limit was first introduced to voice calling alongside the Communities feature a few months back.
Large group calls now enable you to have more granular control over who you hear. WhatsApp says that when you long press on a participant, it will allow you to either mute them or message them separately without interrupting the ongoing video call.
iOS users are getting early access to a picture-in-picture tool for multitasking while you’re video calling. The company said that it’s currently in beta testing but the feature should be rolling out in the new year, though it’s unclear when Android users will get to use it.
Of course, there is the “call links” that were released back in September for both voice and video calls. The links provide a convenient method to let others join an ongoing call, though it still can’t replace video conferencing apps as it does not allow call scheduling.
In case you missed it, WhatsApp also launched a few other new features recently. Users can now officially customise their own avatars on the app, which will generate a 36-pack of stickers. In addition, an incredibly convenient feature called “Message Yourself” lets you use the app to message yourself as a makeshift notepad. In August, the Meta-owned platform unveiled the highly-requested ability to leave groups silently, with only admins being notified.
(Source: WhatsApp)
