WhatsApp has announced today that it will roll out Call Links. It’s a new feature designed to allow users to start a new call or join an ongoing group call easily.
At the moment, it’s not yet available in Malaysia on either Android or iOS, but Mark Zuckerberg said on his official Facebook page that Call Links will be rolling out to users beginning this week.
The “Call Links” option is set to be added within the Calls tab, and users can create a link for an audio or video call which can also be shared on other platforms.
The feature will work for anyone on WhatsApp, even if they’re not in your contacts. However, your caller does need to have WhatsApp themselves, or they won’t be able to join your call.
Call Links can be viewed as a sensible feature for WhatsApp, and one that we’d have expected to see much earlier.
With it, users no longer have to create one-time-use group chats that clutter up their chat log just for a single call session. This will be useful for catch-ups with family, friends, or even quick client meetings.
Of course, a call link is nothing new in the bigger picture with FaceTime, Zoom, and Google Meet already having such functions for a long time now. Given WhatsApp’s massive user base though, Call Links are a welcome feature nonetheless.
Simultaneously, WhatsApp announced that it will begin testing securely encrypted group video calls for up to 32 participants on the messaging platform.
No rollout date has been given yet for the secure video call encryption, with Meta’s CEO only saying that the feature is currently being tested by WhatsApp.
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