NEW YORK: WhatsApp is carrying out tests in preparation for its foray into the territory, currently dominated by Viber and Skype. In fact, there is a user who has shared screenshots and a recording of the voice feature in action. He said that the feature was activated when someone who had the feature called him.
The user, who first posted this video and screenshots on Reddit, is from India. This suggests that users from the region could be the initial testers of the new feature. After he had posted, others followed suit and posted their screenshots as well. From the screen shots, it is clear that there is a new Calls tab next to the Contacts and Chats tabs.
Many of these posts on Reddit have been pulled down as they contained personal information. The video is, however, still available on YouTube. It is still not clear how many people have received the update. WhatsApp has also not released any official information about the new feature.
Features
From the images and videos posted on Reddit, the WhatsApp Voice Calling feature comes with a myriad of calling options including the mute button, speakerphone setting and the ability to send messages while on a call. Initial reports suggest that the new feature is still buggy as some users report that they can call others, but they cannot receive calls. This is probably why WhatsApp is yet to release it officially.
It is not the first time that users have reported seeing the voice call feature in their WhatsApp clients. A Dutch blog posted some screenshots of the feature late last year. The only change is that the feature can now be passed on to others, when you call them.
Voice calling has been in the pipeline for a while now. In fact, the WhatsApp CEO announced that the company would be expanding into voice to compete with Viber and Skype. If well implemented, this can change the dynamics of the industry forever, given WhatsApp large user base. The key to the success of the app is the use of the least amount of bandwidth to make calls. It should also be easy to use and probably incorporate video.
If WhatsApp decides to include video calling in the app, it will take on Skype directly as it is the dominant player in video calling. This will allow users to see who they are talking to and get to interact more intuitively. This is bound to take WhatsApp to the next level.
