Last Wednesday (22nd), WhatsApp announced that it had launched a new application for computers that allows video calls with up to eight people and voice calls with up to 32. However, the new one only applies to the WhatsApp application for Windows, Microsoft’s operating system. The app version for macOS, Apple and WhatsApp Web browsers has been discontinued for now.
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While the news hasn’t been relayed to the Apple platform, the company has also announced a new, faster app for Mac computers, but it’s currently in the early stages of beta.
The novelty represents an alternative for those who prefer using WhatsApp on their PC rather than their mobile phone, as well as competing with some meeting and messaging applications such as Google Meet.
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world with over 2 billion active users. The app is owned by Meta, the same company that takes care of Instagram and Facebook.
Learn how to download and start using WhatsApp for Windows
Previously, audio and video calls were only available to two people. To make calls using the new WhatsApp application on your computer, you need to download the application from the company’s website, log in to your cell phone, scan the QR code that appears on the computer screen with your cell phone, then open a conversation and click on the audio or video call icon next to your contact’s photo and name.
Except for the last step, the process is similar to accessing WhatsApp Web. According to the company, conversations in the new app are still protected with end-to-end encryption, a solution that “protects” the path of communication between the parties (participants) in a conversation.
Multi-party audio and video calls are an increasingly needed feature in times of remote work and social distancing, with video conferencing becoming the main form of communication between co-workers and friends.
For those who think it’s not enough to talk to 8 people via video and up to 32 via audio, the company said it plans to increase the number of people in a conversation over time. The new multi-party voice and video call functionality in the WhatsApp desktop app could help boost its popularity, especially among users who prefer working or communicating through their computers rather than their mobile phones.
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