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WhatsApp has introduced a new voice chat feature tailored for larger groups, as announced by the Meta-owned company. This functionality enables users to engage in live conversations within a group chat without triggering individual member calls. Rather than receiving a ringing notification, users are now discreetly alerted through a silent push notification when a new voice chat commences.
The advent of this feature had been anticipated even before its official release, with WABetaInfo having identified the group voice chat feature in the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.16.19 back in August. Initially available for beta testers, the global rollout of the voice chat feature is now underway.
It is essential to note that this new feature is applicable to groups comprising 33 to 128 people and can be utilized on the users’ primary device where their WhatsApp account is set up. According to WhatsApp’s FAQ page, voice chats empower users to engage in live conversations within a group while simultaneously exchanging messages within the group.
One significant advantage of this feature is the ability for users to initiate voice chats discreetly, without causing a flurry of ringing notifications for group members. Instead, participants receive a silent push notification prompting them to join the call. Moreover, users can seamlessly message individuals not participating in the group call while the calls themselves are end-to-end encrypted.
For those looking to utilize this feature, the process is straightforward. Users must navigate to the group chat they wish to initiate a voice chat in, tap the top-right corner of the screen, and click on “Start Voice Chat.” Subsequently, group members will receive push notifications to join the call, and participants can be tracked through a banner at the bottom of the screen. Those not partaking in the voice chat can still view the profiles of participants from the chat header and Calls tab.
The voice chats conclude automatically once all participants leave the chat. To exit a voice chat, users can simply tap the cross icon.
WhatsApp, boasting over a billion monthly active users globally, holds the title of one of the largest messaging platforms. India leads the user base with over 400 million users, followed by Indonesia and Brazil.
In a recent interview with Folha De S.Paulo, Meta Head Will Cathcart discussed potential monetization strategies for WhatsApp. While he ruled out the placement of ads in user inboxes, he hinted at the possibility of introducing ads in Public Channels and WhatsApp Status in the future.
