WhatsApp is adding a new way to voice chat with large groups
by Jon Porter from The Verge - All Posts on (#6GB9P)
Voice chats don't automatically ring everyone in a group. | Image: WhatsApp
WhatsApp is rolling out a new voice chat feature in the coming weeks that's designed to be a less disruptive way to conduct voice calls in large groups. The feature was previously spotted releasing in beta, but WhatsApp has now made the news official.
Although it's long been possible to voice call on WhatsApp with up to 32 participants, the new voice chat feature works a little differently. Group participants won't be rung automatically when a voice chat starts; instead, they'll receive a push notification, and there'll be an in-chat bubble they can tap to join.
Once a voice chat is underway, call controls will be accessible from the top of a chat without obscuring a participant's ability to send text messages at the same time. Like...