It seemed like this day would never come, but here it is. After years of waiting and forcing us to depend on the mobile or the native desktop application, WhatsApp Web has begun to deploy the function that we were all crying out for: the voice and video calls directly from the browser. No more having to download the Windows or Mac client just to make a quick video call on your computer.
This novelty, initially detected by the specialized portal WABetaInfomarks a before and after on the Meta platform. Until now, the web version was the “poor brother” of the ecosystem, limited to text chat and file sending. With this update, the gap is closed significantly, allowing for much more fluid and natural communication without additional software barriers. Of course, the deployment is gradual and, for now, it is reaching users of the version first. beta.
Current operation, security and limitations
The integration is quite intuitive: if you are one of the lucky ones, you will see the phone and camera icons appear in the chat header. But not everything is perfect in this first phase: the function is currently limited to individual chats. If you were hoping to host large group meetings from Chrome or Edge, you'll have to wait a little longer, although Meta has already confirmed that group calls are on the way.
A crucial point where they have not skimped is on security: these web calls keep the end to end encryptionso neither Meta nor anyone else can listen to your conversations. In addition, a very useful feature is included for the work environment: the possibility of share screen. This news is especially celebrated by users of Linuxwho finally have a native and functional solution without having to resort to third-party tricks.
Do you think this feature comes too late compared to rivals like Zoom or Google Meet, or will you use it daily?
