WhatsApp testing a Discord-like voice chat feature for groups

tech.hindustantimes.com:

WhatsApp has been getting special treatment this year as several key features have been rolled out that were long-requested by users. In May, the ability to edit sent messages made its way onto the Meta-owned platform. Moreover, users can also use WhatsApp without the internet through the Proxy feature. Such additions are introduced to keep users from switching to alternative apps such as Telegram and Signal. With a community of over 2 billion users, WhatsApp is certainly the most popular instant messaging service in the world, and it seems to have replaced SMS as the primary form of messaging.

Now, WhatsApp is set to take on Discord with a new feature that will make group calls a lot easier! Know details about this upcoming feature.

Voice calling is one of WhatsApp's most popular features as it allows users to call anyone free of cost over the internet, even if they are in another country. You can do the same with up to 32 participants in a group. However, if everyone leaves the call, it ends. But it could change soon as WhatsApp is gearing up to bring a new feature called Voice chats to its platform.

According to a report by WABetaInfo, this feature works similarly to group chats on Discord, where users can join a server anytime to start a conversation. Up to 32 participants can join the voice chat at once although it will also be available in groups with more users. This feature is being rolled out to make group calling easier, without ringing the phone of every individual user.

Users will see a new waveform banner at the top, and tapping on it will start the voice chat, as per the report. Additionally, users will also get a push notification anytime someone starts a voice chat. If the voice chat remains empty, it will