Tuesday, February 18, 2025

WhatsApp introduces enhanced calling features including screen sharing and larger group calls

WhatsApp has significantly upgraded its video calling capabilities. It has introduced features such as screen sharing with audio, the ability to host video calls with up to 32 participants, and a speaker spotlight option. These features aim to make WhatsApp a more competitive option compared to Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. WhatsApp new calling features will certainly put pressure on other companies in same space.

Meta releases WhatsApp new calling features

WhatsApp new calling features

Its being reported that Meta has started rolling out new version of their popular chat app, WhatsApp on iOS, Android and desktop app. Some users have got the chance to upgrade to the new features that aims to make group calling to a new height.

  • WhatsApp has enhanced its video calling capabilities with several new features.
  • The Meta-owned platform now includes:
    • Screen sharing
    • Increased participant capacity
    • Speaker spotlight feature
  • These updates position WhatsApp as a strong competitor to platforms like Zoom, FaceTime, and Google Meet.

Here are the latest updates:

  • Screen sharing with audio: Users can now share their screens along with audio, perfect for watching videos together.
  • Increased participants: Video calls can now include up to 32 participants across all devices. Previously, the participant limit was 32 on mobile devices, 16 on Windows, and 8 on macOS.
  • Speaker spotlight: The person speaking is automatically highlighted, making it easier to see who is talking.

New codec for audio quality – MLow

Meta has rolled out a new codec called Meta Low Bitrate (MLow) to make calls more reliable, especially on weaker networks or older devices. This codec offers better audio quality than the previous Opus codec while using less computational power—about 10% less. It’s already in use for calls on Instagram and Messenger and is now being introduced to WhatsApp to enhance the overall calling experience.

WhatsApp stated in a blog post that these updates will be released to users over the course of next few weeks.

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