WhatsApp is adding a long-awaited feature to WhatsApp Web: voice and video calls can now be started directly in the browser. This new feature is currently in the rollout phase and is initially only available to select users. This brings WhatsApp Web closer to the functionality of the desktop apps.
Until now, WhatsApp Web was primarily intended as a supplement to the smartphone app. Text messages, files, and voice messages could be conveniently used in the browser, but calls were not possible. For voice and video calls, users had to resort to the official desktop applications. This limitation is now being gradually lifted.
Launch for WhatsApp Web beta users
As WABetaInfo reports, WhatsApp is beginning to roll out voice and video calls on WhatsApp Web for users of its beta program. Currently, the feature is only available for one-on-one chats.
Group calls via the browser are not yet available and are still under development. However, beta testers can already make one-on-one calls without having to install an additional app.
This is how calls work in the browser
Using the new feature is simple. In an open one-on-one chat, the familiar call button appears. Clicking it starts either a voice or video call directly in the browser window.
According to WABetaInfo, the feature was developed over a period of approximately one year. The goal was to align the experience with WhatsApp's desktop apps. Stability, functionality, and usability are therefore closely based on the existing applications for Windows and macOS.
Security and additional features
Even with web-based calls, the security standard remains unchanged. Voice and video calls on WhatsApp Web are end-to-end encrypted. The same encryption method is used as on mobile devices, based on the Signal protocol.
Screen sharing is also available for video calls. This allows content to be shared directly from the browser, for example for short meetings or explanations.
Expansion to other users planned
Currently, the new calling feature is only available to participants in the WhatsApp Web beta program. However, according to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp plans to roll out the feature to more users in the coming weeks. People outside the beta program will also gain access at that time.
A precise timeline for the introduction of group calls in the browser has not yet been announced. Once this feature is available, voice and video calls with up to 32 participants will be possible. Call links and scheduled calls, as already familiar from the mobile apps, are also planned.
Participation in the WhatsApp Web beta program
You can sign up for the beta program directly through WhatsApp Web. In the settings under "Help and Feedback", you can activate the "Join the beta" option. Immediate access to voice and video calls is not guaranteed, but participation increases the likelihood of receiving new features early.
WhatsApp Web is becoming a fully-fledged communication solution
With the introduction of voice and video calls in the browser, WhatsApp closes a key functional gap in WhatsApp Web. The ability to make calls without a desktop app makes the service significantly more flexible. Even though group calls are still pending, this latest rollout clearly demonstrates the direction in which WhatsApp Web is evolving: away from being a mere companion tool and towards a fully-fledged communication platform in the browser. (Image: Shutterstock / JarTee)
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