WhatsApp is introducing a new voice chat feature for large groups, similar to Discord, the Meta- on Monday. The new feature is designed to be less intrusive than a group call, which notifies every member in a group. Voice chats start silently without any calling, with a bubble inside the conversation that you tap to join.
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The feature lets you talk to anyone who can join, while allowing you to continue messaging with those who can't. You can quickly unblock, end the call, or message the group without leaving the voice chat by clicking the call controls at the top of the conversation.
The company will launch voice chats globally for large groups in the coming weeks, starting with those with 33 people or more. WhatsApp notes that it protects voice chats with end-to-end encryption by default.
Voice chats on WhatsApp work essentially the same way as similar features on Discord, Telegram, and Slack, as they allow large groups of people to connect via voice chat.
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Today’s announcement comes as WhatsApp has been adding a number of features to its platform in recent months. The company recently introduced the ability for users to use two accounts at the same time. It also launched passcode support on Android, along with a new “Flows” feature to enhance its shopping experience by allowing users to do things like choose a seat on a flight or book an appointment without leaving the app.
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The launch comes just weeks after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared the company's performance uptick.
For the third quarter of 2023, users and businesses interact more than 600 million times a day on its platforms.
Zuckerberg noted that family of apps and other revenue came in at $293 million in the third quarter, up 53% year-over-year, largely driven by the WhatsApp Business.
Source: techcrunch.com
