WhatsApp is upgrading its voice chat tool so it can host a lot more people

Date:
Mon, 13 Nov 2023 20:13:25 +0000

Description:
WhatsApp gives mobile users a way to host up to 128 people in a call with invites being sent out via chat notifications.

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WhatsApp is upgrading the Voice Chat feature on mobile so users can now host large group calls with up to 128 participants.

The platform has yet to make a formal announcement of the changes through its usual avenues although details can be found on its Help Center support
website . On the surface, the tools functionality is pretty straightforward. You can start a group voice chat by going to a group chat, tapping the audio read-out icon in the upper right-hand corner, and selecting Start Voice Chat. The company states this is only available on your primary device and calls will automatically end the moment everyone leaves. Additionally, they instantly end after an hour if no one joins the first or last person in the chat. Silent calls

There is more to this update than whats on the support page as other news reports reveal a much more robust feature. According to TechCrunch , Voice Chat for Larger Groups is designed to be less disruptive than a regular group call. Participants will not be rung when a call starts. Instead, they will receive a push notification with an in-chat bubble you have to tap in order
to join.

At the top of the screen is a series of controls where you can mute, unmute, or message other people in the group without having to leave. Of course, you can hang up any time you want using the same controls. Like with all forms of messaging on WhatsApp, the large voice chats will be end-to-end encrypted. Availability

The Verge states the patch will be rolling out to the Android and iOS apps over the coming weeks, however, itll first be made available to bigger groups hosting 33 to 128 participants. Its unknown why smaller chats will have to wait to receive the same feature. But as The Verge points out, it could be because the Group Voice Call tool already exists. Meta is seemingly prioritizing the larger chats first before moving on to all users.

No word if WhatsApp has plans to expand this to their desktop app; although
we did ask. This story will be updated at a later time.

With Black Friday around the corner, we expect a lot of discounts for major brands. If you want to see whats out there, check out TechRadars roundup of the best Black Friday phone deals for 2023 . You might also like WhatsApp is testing a new self-destructing voice messages feature New WhatsApp update gives you a more secure way to make phone calls WhatsApp is rolling out passkey support to its app here's how to set it up



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/software/whatsapp-is-upgrading-its-voice-c hat-tool-so-now-it-can-host-a-lot-more-people


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