Just before the holidays, WhatsApp announced the addition of new video calling features, including participant selection for group video calls, better resolution, and an improved Calls tab on the desktop. This is another step for Meta to make WhatsApp a viable option for both personal and work calls instead of using Google Meet or Zoom.
If you use the Messages app during a group chat, you can already call the entire group. But sometimes you don’t want or need to bother calling everyone in the group. Now, the company is rolling out an option to select participants when making group calls. This is useful when you know only a select number of people will be able to talk, or when you’re planning a surprise gift for someone in your group.
WhatsApp has also added new video call effects, including dog ears, taking you into the water, and handing you a microphone for karaoke.
For the desktop app, the company is redesigning the Calls tab to prominently display the buttons for starting a call, creating a new call link, and making a call. The company also said it is improving the resolution of one-on-one and group calls on both mobile and desktop.
Last year, WhatsApp improved its video calling features by adding support for up to 32 participants, introducing Speaker Spotlight, which highlights the current speaker in multi-person calls, and adding screen sharing with audio. Many organizations are using WhatsApp for internal communication and all these features can be helpful when making work-related video calls on WhatsApp.
