WhatsApp Rolls Out New Voice Chat Feature for Large Groups

WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new voice chat feature to improve the group calling experience on the popular messaging platform. The company announced this week that the new voice chats feature is designed to be less disruptive than traditional group calls by allowing participants to come and go from conversations freely without interrupting others.

Like voice features on apps like Slack and Discord, WhatsApp voice chats notify group chat members that a conversation has begun but don't ring all devices. Users can join or exit voice chats anytime by tapping an icon within the group conversation. It gives participants more flexibility to voice chat when convenient while continuing to send messages to the entire group.

The update is initially rolling out for larger groups with more than 32 members on WhatsApp for Android and iOS. Users will see a voice chat button replacing the group call option when available. Joining a chat sends a push notification, and anyone in the group can see who is speaking but will only be rung if directly participating.

Voice chats are secured with end-to-end encryption and allow performing other app tasks simultaneously. Participants can quickly hang up, unmute or message the group from chat controls without exiting. WhatsApp says chats will end automatically after an hour of inactivity or when the last member leaves.

The feature aims to make group conversations on WhatsApp more versatile as people juggle multiple communications. It brings the platform more in line with the capabilities of business messaging competitors like Slack.