WhatsApp has introduced a new voice chat feature for large groups, akin to Discord, according to an announcement from the Meta-owned company on Monday. This feature is designed to offer a less intrusive experience compared to traditional group calls that ring every member. Instead, voice chats commence silently, with an in-chat bubble that users can tap to join.
Users can engage in conversation with participants while still messaging those who are unable to join. Conveniently, users can unmute, hang up, or send messages to the group without leaving the voice chat by accessing call controls at the top of the chat.
The global rollout of voice chats for large groups will occur in the coming weeks, initially targeting groups with 33 or more members. WhatsApp emphasizes that voice chats are protected with default end-to-end encryption.
The functionality of voice chats on WhatsApp is similar to comparable features on platforms like Discord, Telegram, and Slack, facilitating large groups to connect through spoken communication.
The introduction of this feature was somewhat anticipated, as WABetaInfo reported in August that WhatsApp was testing voice chats in beta.
This announcement coincides with WhatsApp’s recent addition of several features to its platform. Notably, users can now operate two accounts simultaneously, and the Android version now supports passkey security. Additionally, a new “Flows” functionality has been introduced to enhance the shopping experience, enabling users to perform tasks like selecting a flight seat or booking an appointment without leaving the app.
The launch aligns with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s disclosure during the Q3 earnings call that users and businesses interact more than 600 million times daily across the company’s platforms. Zuckerberg highlighted a 53% year-over-year increase in Q3 revenue, reaching $293 million, driven substantially by the WhatsApp Business platform.
