WhatsApp announces improvements to audio and video calls

WhatsApp on Thursday announced a series of improvements coming soon to audio and video calls just in time for the holiday season. According to Meta, users can expect better call quality, as well as some other new features – so read on as we detail what’s coming.

New features coming to WhatsApp calls

“Calling on WhatsApp continues to grow in popularity around the world. Now, over 2 billion calls are made on WhatsApp every single day. Ahead of the holiday season, we’re introducing new calling features across desktop and mobile, so that connecting with your loved ones is easier than ever,” Meta said in a blog post.

First, WhatsApp will now let users choose specific participants in a group chat to initiate a call, so that you can call specific people without disturbing the rest. “Ideal for planning surprise parties or presents,” the company notes. Moreover, Meta is also adding new camera effects for video calls, which will make conversations more fun. Among the new effects are puppy ears, a karaoke microphone, and an underwater filter.

But more important than new effects is the quality of the calls. Meta says it’s working to improve the calling experience on the desktop, so that users will be able to start a call more easily from WhatsApp on a computer. For video calls, the company promises higher resolution stream for both individual and group calls.

A few days ago, Meta confirmed that WhatsApp will soon stop working on some older iPhones like the iPhone 5s, as the app will now require iOS 15.1 or later. The platform also recently made voice message transcription available to everyone.

WhatsApp for iPhone and Mac is available for free on the App Store. Make sure you have the latest version of the app installed in order to get access to the new features.

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