WhatsApp has updated its messaging service with support for group video calls, allowing you to chat with up to three more people simultaneously on its iOS and Android apps.
To use the new feature, you’ll need to first start a one-on-one voice or video call with a contact, and then tap the ‘add participant’ button at the top right of your screen.
WhatsApp says that its calls are encrypted end-to-end just like its standard messages. It sure took its own sweet time adding this functionality, seeing as how support for one-on-one video calls was introduced nearly two years ago.
Its parent company, Facebook, announced back at its F8 conference in May that it was building the feature for both WhatsApp and Instagram. It arrived on the latter platform back in June, with a similar four-person limit.
How to check if your WhatsApp has this new feature:
Step 1: Open WhatsApp
Step 2: Select a participant you wish to call.
Step 3: Do a normal call.
Step 4: Check if there is a new button “Add participant”
Step 5: If there is, then you can now have group calls if you don’t, then you cannot.
In January this year, WhatsApp confirmed had they are working on a version to enable group video calls. This was confirmed in February that this new feature will be available for the messaging app in ‘future.’ Then at their annual F8 developers’ conference, Facebook mentioned that a bunch of new features will be headed to WhatsApp including support for group video calling in the coming weeks.
This feature is live and can be seen by few users.