WhatsApp takes fight to Zoom with killer new feature

WhatsApp just put Zoom on notice

WhatsApp
(Image credit: WhatsApp)

Zoom and Microsoft Teams have been tearing it up over the past 6 months due to more people than ever before working remotely. However, it looks like WhatsApp is about to muscle in and eat their lunch with some killer new functionality.

That's because, as reported by Android Authority, WhatsApp is shortly bringing voice and video calling support to its desktop and web clients – and, in what must be especially alarming for Zoom and Microsoft Teams, these new features will support group calls, too.

According to the source of the report, which is WhatsApp tipster-in-chief WABetaInfo, who has accurately called future WhatsApp features numerous times before, WhatsApp is about to enable the ability for users to host video and audio chat and meetings through the software's web and desktop clients.

WhatsApp Zoom Microsoft Teams

How the new video calling functionality will look in WhatsApp's web and desktop clients.

(Image credit: WaBetaInfo)

As can be seen from the above image, the new video/audio call feature works by another smaller window popping up over the chat window showing the caller as well as the ability to answer or reject the call. According to the new information, group voice and video calls are supported, too, and users can continue to type into the chat window while also holding the video or audio call.

These new features are incoming in the soon-to-land WhatsApp 2.2043.7 update, which has yet to receive an official launch date. According to WABetaInfo, though, that launch date could be "soon".

And, naturally, with so many people all around the world already very comfortable with the WhatsApp ecosystem, which is tied nicely to people' contacts from their phones, it only seems like a natural leap for many to host video calls through the WhatsApp Web client.

Here's hoping this leak proves accurate, and WhatsApp users can look forward to making and receiving video/audio calls soon.

Robert Jones

Rob has been writing about computing, gaming, mobile, home entertainment technology, toys (specifically Lego and board games), smart home and more for over 15 years. As the editor of PC Gamer, and former Deputy Editor for T3.com, you can find Rob's work in magazines, bookazines and online, as well as on podcasts and videos, too. Outside of his work Rob is passionate about motorbikes, skiing/snowboarding and team sports, with football and cricket his two favourites.