As we live in an era where your neighbours or even your godchildren are just a click away via a digital platform that traverses across geographical divides, the battle for the ‘go-to’ video-calling platform is as ruthless as ever. With Zoom leading the race for video chatting and Google Meet hot on the heels, one would wonder why the instant-messaging giant WhatsApp is entering the fray. With this change, WhatsApp has taken a huge departure from its traditional position as a messaging service, to directly competing with players such as Zoom and Google Meet.
In a move that hints at its intentions to compete for more than just messaging, Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has recently upgraded WhatsApp’s video-calling features. Alongside a fresh new upgrade page to make the new features easier to find, one that was launched a year ago lets up to 32 people join video calls on all devices. Previously, the expanded inclusivity feature was a bit lopsided – you could have 32 people on the call if you used the app on a mobile device, 16 if you used Windows and a mere eight if you used Mac. Now, regardless of which device people use to call you, all of.exploration them can be on the same screen. The update puts WhatsApp clearly on the same level as its competitors. Zoom, of course, remains the video-call extreme, allowing up to 100 people on a call with the Basic and Pro plans.
The upgrade isn’t just about participant limits either. WhatsApp has recently introduced screen sharing with sound, which could help with presentations, and ‘Speaker spotlight’, which places the speaker at the centre of the screen, allows for a smoother communication experience. These features shift the underlying ethos of WhatsApp’s service from being inclusive to efficient. WhatsApp intends to catch up, but not just that.
The push for improvements is palpable too, with Meta recently unveiling its MLow audio codec that promises to improve the reliability and quality of calls in different network conditions. With this and other advancements, WhatsApp clearly wants to provide the kind of experience that Google Meet and Zoom deliver – and, at times, outmatch them at their own game.
While Zoom and Google Meet are the most popular platforms for large groups, those whose needs are more modest might be drawn towards the upgraded versions of WhatsApp for groups with 32 people (or up to eight video calls), offering greater intimacy and less clutter. While Google Meet’s user-friendly platform offers a multitude of account types from a standard upper limit on the number of participants to teaching and learning.upgrades, the simplicity and ubiquity of WhatsApp might still be more appealing for the user on the move.
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