WhatsApp has announced significant updates to its video calling functionality, introducing screen sharing with audio support and a new speaker spotlight feature. The update also increases the limit for video call participants to 32 people.
WhatsApp has enhanced its screen-sharing feature, initially introduced in August last year, to include audio support. This improvement allows users to share videos and audio content with their contacts during a call, offering a more interactive experience.
The latest update increases the video call participant limit to 32 people across all devices. Previously, this limit was restricted to mobile devices, while Windows and macOS users could add up to 16 and 8 participants, respectively.
A new speaker spotlight feature has been introduced, automatically highlighting the participant who is speaking and bringing them to the forefront of the screen.
To improve call reliability, especially in areas with poor network connectivity or for users with older devices, WhatsApp has implemented the Meta Low Bitrate (MLow) codec. This proprietary codec offers twice the audio quality of the previously used open-source codec, Opus, while maintaining lower computational complexity.
WhatsApp’s updates align its video calling capabilities with Apple’s FaceTime, which also supports up to 32 participants. However, it still trails behind Google Meet and Zoom, which allow up to 100 participants on their basic tiers.
WhatsApp has stated in a blog post that these updates, including the new calling-related features, will be gradually rolled out to all eligible users over the coming weeks.
These enhancements are part of WhatsApp’s ongoing efforts to improve user experience and maintain competitiveness in the rapidly evolving digital communication landscape.
