We wouldn’t say we’ve eagerly anticipated the arrival of voice and video calling powers on WhatsApp Web, but it’s certainly been on our radar for a good while. After WABetaInfo reported that the feature was being “refined” a couple of weeks back, it seems it is gradually rolling out to WhatsApp Web beta users.
WhatsApp entangles the Web
For years, WhatsApp’s web-based client has been a handy tool for users looking to access the messenger directly in a browser, no smartphone required. The only trouble was that it was for messages only, with voice and video calls requiring a phone or the official WhatsApp app for Windows or Mac. No longer, WABetaInfo says.
The change is especially handy for Linux users, who don’t have access to any official WhatsApp app on their hardware. Calls made through the web version support all the usual features you’d expect, like screen sharing support, and are end-to-end encrypted. Whether you trust that encryption is another matter entirely…
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At first, the feature will only support voice and video calling through individual chats. These powers are making their way to group chats on WhatsApp Web eventually, WABetaInfo claims. “The group calling feature is still under development to ensure a bug-free experience before its official release in the future.”
The feature is currently only available to those users enrolled in the WhatsApp beta program, although regular users should begin seeing the feature turn up over the coming weeks. There’s no telling when voice and video calls will become available to group chats, but it’ll likely be along shortly after phase one of the wider rollout.
