WhatsApp has announced enhancements to its video calling features for both mobile and desktop users. The company has increased the maximum number of participants in group video calls from eight to 32 on its desktop app, aligning this limit with its mobile platform capabilities. These changes also include the addition of audio sharing during screen presentations.
In a detailed blog post, WhatsApp, a subsidiary of Meta, outlined the updates aimed at enriching the screen sharing experience. Users will now have the ability to share the audio from videos they are watching while sharing their screens with others.
The expansion in participant capacity means that now up to 32 people can join a video call, regardless of whether they are using mobile or desktop applications. This update provides a uniform experience across all devices.
Additionally, WhatsApp is introducing a ‘speaker spotlight’ feature, which will automatically highlight the person speaking during a video call. This feature is designed to enhance the usability of the app in large group settings, making it easier for participants to follow conversations without manually searching for the speaker in the participant list.
The rollout of these new features is scheduled over the next few weeks for both mobile and desktop users.
Furthermore, Meta Platforms has launched a new codec for audio calls, named Meta Low Bitrate (MLow) codec. This tool is designed to compress audio and video data more efficiently for transmission, which is particularly useful for users with slower internet connections. Despite the potential for reduced quality due to compression, Meta claims that the MLow codec offers superior performance compared to the previously used Opus codec. This new codec, already in use on other Meta services like Instagram and Messenger, is now being extended to WhatsApp users.
