WhatsApp adds new features for video calls
WhatsApp adds more features for video communication (photo: Pixabay)
WhatsApp is enhancing its video calling capabilities. The platform, owned by Meta, is expanding its calling functionality with a new screen-sharing feature, an increased number of participants, and special speaker highlighting, according to the technology blog Engadget.
What new features will appear
Screen sharing will be useful for collaborative video viewing, exchanging content that's difficult to send through other means, or assisting parents with setting up their devices. The feature also allows for sharing audio, so you can communicate with others while viewing their screen.
WhatsApp has also increased the maximum number of participants in video calls to 32 people across all platforms. This is a significant leap from the previous limit of eight participants, which was introduced in 2020 during the quarantine.
Speaker highlighting is another new feature in the WhatsApp update (this feature is already standard on many other calling platforms). During a group call, the person speaking is displayed first among participants, and their image is highlighted, making it easier to identify who has the floor at any given moment.
WhatsApp also highlighted the recent transition to the MLow codec to improve sound quality during calls. The new compression is expected to reduce noise and improve echo cancellation, which is beneficial for calls from noisy environments.
Additionally, video calls will be streamed in higher resolution if your network is fast enough.
