WhatsApp announced the arrival of direct calls on WhatsApp Web. From today it is possible to start and receive audio and video calls, both single and group, without downloading any app, simply by opening the browser. A long-awaited feature that has already been in the testing phase for several months, which is now being gradually rolled out to all users.
The change mainly affects those who use shared or company computers, where the installation of applications is not always allowed. Browser calls remain end-to-end encryptedwithout duration limits and at no additional cost: the same privacy setting guaranteed so far by the mobile and desktop app.
Functions already present on other devices are also available on the web, such as screen sharing, reactions during the call and one card dedicated to calls with complete history and favorite contacts. In practice, the browser becomes a full-fledged client, not a stripped-down version of the app.
WhatsApp Web, how the new calls and video calls work
Among the most concrete innovations is the Call forwardingwhich allows you to move an active group call from one device to another without interrupting it. Anyone who starts a conversation on their phone while away from home will be able to continue it on WhatsApp Web or Desktop once they get to the computer, and vice versa.
It’s coming too Waiting rooma – precisely – waiting room designed for those who want to manage access to group calls more carefully. By enabling the “Require approval to join” option on a call link, participants will wait until the organizer decides to let them join.
It makes its debut on the video quality front QuickHDdesigned to guarantee high resolution in the very first seconds of connection, a detail that aims to resolve one of the most reported defects of video calls: the grainy image at startup before the network stabilizes.
Closes the package Noise suppressionwhich can be activated from the settings during the call, which filters background sounds to isolate the speaker’s voice even in noisy or crowded environments.
Overall, it is an update that follows functions that have already been present for some time on platforms such as Google Meet or Microsoft Teams, rather than a technological leap. However, WhatsApp’s added value remains its huge user base and the end-to-end encryption applied by default, an element that its corporate competitors do not always guarantee with the same transparency. The rollout, as per company practice, will proceed in stages over the next few weeks.
