WhatsApp Rolls Out Calling Updates for Desktop and Mobile

WhatsApp has announced some improvements to its calling features across desktop and mobile platforms ahead of the holiday season, such as the ability to choose participants from group chats, use new effects on calls, and take advantage of higher resolution video.

whatsapp calling updates
The ability to select specific participants when initiating a call from a group chat aims to let users avoid disturbing the entire group, and could be helpful for coordinating surprise events or private discussions within larger group contexts.

The update also brings ten new video effects to make calls more fun and engaging, ranging from playful puppy ear filters to underwater themes and karaoke microphone effects.

In addition, WhatsApp says desktop users will benefit from a reorganized calls interface that should streamline the process of starting calls, creating call links, or dialing numbers directly from the desktop app. Lastly, the Meta-owned company has also enhanced video call quality across both one-on-one and group calls, regardless of whether users are connecting from desktop or mobile devices.

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Top Rated Comments

contacos Avatar
15 weeks ago
Where is the iPad support that was already in a WhatsApp Beta 2! summer ago!!!!
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xade Avatar
15 weeks ago
l just want an ipad app. Don't care about all the bells and whistles. Oh, and getting the watch app back would be good too!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigTimEnergy Avatar
15 weeks ago
Remember USA, the rest of the world actually uses WhatsApp.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rhhk Avatar
15 weeks ago
Don’t care. Just release an iPad app already!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
joeblow7777 Avatar
15 weeks ago

Yup, and we still can't figure out how the "rest of the world" got scammed into it! It is free because Zuck hoovers up your data and sells it! Let that sink in.

This is precisely why there isn't an iPad app, if its not tied to a phone you don't get as much data hoovering goodness.
Honestly, it's a fair price for a good service, and not an uncommon price in today's digital world. Whatsapp offers a lot of advantages over SMS, which pretty much makes it a necessity unless:

a. everyone you know has an iPhone/imesssage
b. everyone you know is local
c. you don't travel
d. you have a really good roaming/international service plan

Most people in the world don't meet those criteria. And most of the Americans saying that they won't use Whatsapp due to privacy concerns are using Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, various Google services, and TikTok!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
techpr Avatar
15 weeks ago

and Americans are not using WhatsApp because no one they know uses it.

It's the network effect keeping Americans on iMessage/SMS, and Europeans/some Asians on WhatsApp
I fixed it for you.

Americans on iMessage/SMS, and the rest of the world on WhatsApp
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)