WhatsApp is enhancing the way group conversations occur on its platform with the introduction of a new voice chat feature. Designed to offer a more seamless experience, the new functionality sheds the disruptive nature of group calls that previously alerted all members' devices simultaneously. This new enhancement will be particularly advantageous when dealing with groups that are spread across various time zones.
The voice chat feature streamlines communication for group members, enabling them to carry on with other activities within the app while a voice chat is active. This mirrors the capabilities found in other applications, such as Slack and Discord, which have popularized less intrusive group call functionalities.
On a recent Monday, WhatsApp took to X to share news of the voice chat feature's gradual introduction on the Android platform. Users who upgrade to the most recent version of WhatsApp, both for Android and iOS, through the Google Play store and the App Store respectively, will gain access to this new tool. As the feature becomes operational for a group, participants will notice that a voice chat prompt has replaced the traditional group call button.
Should someone in the group initiate a voice chat—identified by a new waveform icon at the top right of the group chat—others in the group will receive a notification inviting them to join the ongoing conversation. The interface will display the profiles of all voice chat participants whilst still permitting members to interact with the rest of the group through text, even if they opt not to join the voice chat.
For added flexibility, users are free to exit and re-enter the voice chat at will. It's noteworthy that the voice chat will automatically conclude when no one is actively participating. Specifically, it will end if it runs for an hour with only a single participant or when all individuals have left the chat.
The service is initially primed for rollout to larger groups, specifically those with a tally exceeding 32 members. As per WhatsApp's own support documentation, groups hosting anywhere from 33 to 128 members will be able to utilize the new feature. It's important to mention that the voice chat is restricted to use on the user's main device—a limitation that means that linked devices won't have the capability to access this feature.