To stem the exodus it witnessed in recent times, leading global messaging app WhatsApp has announced that private and secure one-to-one voice and video calls are now available as its desktop app. The calls are end-to-end encrypted which means that WhatsApp can’t hear or see them, whether you call from your phone or your computer.
“With so many people still apart from their loved ones, and adjusting to new ways of working, we want conversations on WhatsApp to feel as close to in-person as possible, regardless of where you are in the world or the tech you’re using,” says the messaging platform.
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“We’re starting with one-to-one calls on the WhatsApp desktop app so we make sure we can give you a reliable and high-quality experience.”
To make desktop calling more useful, WhatsApp has made sure it works seamlessly for both portrait and landscape orientation, appears in a resizable standalone window on your computer screen, and is set to be always on top so you never lose your video chats in a browser tab or stack of open windows. This feature is expected to include group voice and video calls in the future.
In a similar development, WhatsApp has unveiled a new progress animation to show iOS users exactly when a voice note ends. According to WABetaInfo, the UI animation update is available on iOS 13 and newer versions. And in this update, if Read Receipts are disabled (WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy) the recipient won’t be notified when voice messages are played.
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“We don’t know if WhatsApp will restore the old behaviour in the next updates (because they didn’t implement this change in the Android version yet), but at the moment the situation is so.”
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry