WhatsApp Adds PC Video Calling To Compete With Zoom

From now on, it will be possible to use the feature from the PC app; voice messaging has been also integrated

Only WhatsApp hadn’t taken part in the jungle of computer video call services that boomed during the last year. The Facebook Inc FB-owned messaging service has decided to challenge Zoom Video Communications ZM, Microsoft Corporation’s MSFT Teams and Alphabet Inc’s GOOG GOOGL Google Meet by including the possibility to make video calls from the PC app.

To make the service more complete, WhatsApp has also introduced voice messaging, which was previously only available on smartphones.

Only From The App, Not From The Browser: WhatsApp - which has over 2 billion users worldwide - has never provided figures on the use of video calls on smartphones, but the service was already very popular before the pandemic, and it seemed strange it was not yet available for PCs. However, Facebook pointed out that it will only be integrated for the app and not for the web version accessible from the browser. It will be initially possible to call only one person at a time, but the platform has already indicated that it plans to also allow group calls in the future.

The New Features: WhatsApp has integrated some new features in recent months — at the end of November last year temporary messages were launched (i.e. photos and videos disappearing after seven days), and in January biometric fingerprint authentication and facial or iris scanning were added, which are additional levels of protection that make even more sense when coupled with video calls. The new precautions are part of the changes made with the latest privacy policy update, which caused some controversy.

The Trend Of Remote Calls: With the video calling service from OC, WhatsApp is ready to take full advantage of the trend of remote calls, which boomed during the toughest months of the pandemic along with work-from-home, which is not set to end when we will be back to normal. When COVID-19 will no longer be a danger, half of the employees will still work from home, at least on a part-time basis, compared to 30% who did it before the emergency outbreak, according to the consulting firm Gartner.

This article originally appeared on Financialounge.com and was translated from Italian to English. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited. For news coverage in Italian or Spanish, check out Benzinga Italia and Benzinga España.