WhatsApp, one of the most popular messaging apps out there, is rolling out a new way for users to connect – because, apparently, we can never have too many. This time, it's expanding its Voice Chat feature to more users.
Voice Chat isn't totally new – it's been around for big group chats – but now it's making its way to smaller groups, too. Meta, which owns WhatsApp (along with Facebook, Instagram and Threads), is now letting people in group chats of any size start a live audio chat.
The feature is designed to be low-key. You start a voice chat by swiping up from the bottom of your group chat and holding for a few seconds. No ringing, no pop-ups – just a quiet invite that people can join or leave whenever they feel like it. The chat stays pinned to the bottom of the screen, so anyone joining later can see who's already talking and hop in easily.
Voice Chat is making its way to smaller groups. | Image credit – WhatsApp
So if your friend kicks off a voice chat while you are at work and your boss is giving you the side-eye, no worries – your phone is not going to start blasting in the middle of a meeting.
This move definitely puts WhatsApp a little closer to apps like Discord and Telegram, which have had similar drop-in voice features for a while. It also shows Meta's bigger vision to turn WhatsApp into more of a social space, not just a messaging tool.
As usual, WhatsApp is keeping things private. Voice Chats are protected with end-to-end encryption, just like personal messages and calls. That means the audio stays secure between devices – no one, not even Meta, can eavesdrop.
Tsveta, a passionate technology enthusiast and accomplished playwright, combines her love for mobile technologies and writing to explore and reveal the transformative power of tech. From being an early follower of PhoneArena to relying exclusively on her smartphone for photography, she embraces the immense capabilities of compact devices in our daily lives. With a Journalism degree and an explorative spirit, Tsveta not only provides expert insights into the world of gadgets and smartphones but also shares a unique perspective shaped by her diverse interests in travel, culture, and visual storytelling.
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