How to Group Video Chat With Up to Eight People in WhatsApp

[MacRumors]

WhatsApp has upgraded its end-to-end encrypted video call feature, which now allows groups of up to eight participants to chat together, up from the previous limit of four.

WhatsApp has been gradually developing its group video call capabilities through beta builds, as rival video call services like Zoom, FaceTime and Skype have exploded in popularity amid the ongoing stay-at-home measures. At the same time, Facebook has released Messenger Rooms, enabling up to eight people to join in on a group call.

There are two ways to initiate an encrypted group voice or video call in WhatsApp with up to eight people (that's seven other people including yourself). Just make sure that you and anyone you want to call has updated to version 2.20.50 of WhatsApp, or it won't work.

• How to Update Apps in iOS 13

The easiest way to initiate a call is to open an active group chat and tap the Video Call or Phone Call button in the top right corner of the screen. If the group has more than eight participants, you'll be asked which contacts you want to call, otherwise the call will initiate automatically.

Alternatively, you can initiate a WhatsApp group call including anyone in your contacts list. Simply follow the steps below.

1. Launch WhatsApp and select the Calls tab at the bottom of the screen.
   
   
   
   Tap the Call icon in the top-right corner.
   
   
   
   Select New Group Call at the top of the contact list.
   
   
   
   Add up to seven participants by tapping on them in your contacts.
   When you've added the participants, tap the Video Call button (the camera icon) or the Audio Call option (the phone icon) to initiate the call.
   
   

If any of the participants you chose are using an older version of WhatsApp, you'll be notified and the call won't connect until they've all updated.

Article Link: How to Group Video Chat With Up to Eight People in WhatsApp

 

[MrSimmo]

Would be ok if they offered proper multi platform support, 8 people with video on a smartphone isnt great...

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

Would be ok if they offered proper multi platform support, 8 people with video on a smartphone isnt great...

Indeed... every other of the major messenger apps is better than Whatsapp... I don't know why people still use it...

 

[CarpalMac]

Indeed... every other of the major messenger apps is better than Whatsapp... I don't know why people still use it...

I am waiting on Telegrams version to appear.

 

[Ted13]

FaceTime has a 32 person limit for group chats, end to end encryption, etc. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209022

Why you'd want to use WhatsApp instead of FaceTime is beyond me, unless your friends are Android/Windows only people.

 

[Kabeyun]

Well, nine including Mark Zuckerberg.

 

[CarpalMac]

Why you'd want to use WhatsApp instead of FaceTime is beyond me, unless your friends are Android/Windows only people.

You wouldn't, but you already answered your own statement.

 

[Vandam500]

FaceTime has a 32 person limit for group chats, end to end encryption, etc. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209022

Why you'd want to use WhatsApp instead of FaceTime is beyond me, unless your friends are Android/Windows only people.

WhatsApp has so many more users world wide that it's not even close. Plus it being cross platform where Facetime is only iOS/Mac is a pretty big deal.

 

[TechieGeek]

FaceTime has a 32 person limit for group chats, end to end encryption, etc. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209022

Why you'd want to use WhatsApp instead of FaceTime is beyond me, unless your friends are Android/Windows only people.

Exactly this. If everyone doesn’t have an Apple device, people need to look to an alternative.

Facebook introduced a free group video chat last week, but it’s not end-to-end encrypted.

Google announced that Duo is adopting a new codec (AV1 to replace VP9), it’s supposed to start rolling out this week. It’s end-to-end encrypted and supports up to 12 people video calls, it’s looking like the best alternative to FaceTime when not everyone has an Apple device

Google Duo video calls are about to look a whole lot better

Google Duo is getting the AV1 codec.

www.theverge.com

 

[User 6502]

FaceTime has a 32 person limit for group chats, end to end encryption, etc. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209022

Why you'd want to use WhatsApp instead of FaceTime is beyond me, unless your friends are Android/Windows only people.

You answered your own question. I don't think it's easy to find a group of 8 friends who only have iPhones.

 

[B4U]

Apple need to come up with a solution soon, so that we can give Mark the middle finger.

 

[RecentlyConverted]

FaceTime has a 32 person limit for group chats, end to end encryption, etc. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209022

Why you'd want to use WhatsApp instead of FaceTime is beyond me, unless your friends are Android/Windows only people.

I know so many people who have Apple products, who use WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger instead of iMessage, WhatsApp etc instead of Facetime, to other Apple users. I don't understand why.

I explain that Apples services are likely more secure, that they have in effect paid a premium to have these services and they look at me blankly.

 

[MacRumorUser78]

Doesn't WhatsApp require access to your Contacts to work?

 

[RecentlyConverted]

Doesn't WhatsApp require access to your Contacts to work?

Not any more thank goodness. I had to install it to keep in contact with clients on Android devices during the lockdown. I was pleased to see contacts access is optional now.

 

[GeoStructural]

FaceTime has a 32 person limit for group chats, end to end encryption, etc. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209022

Why you'd want to use WhatsApp instead of FaceTime is beyond me, unless your friends are Android/Windows only people.

WhatsApp has better features than FaceTime, it is multiplatform (iOS/Android/Windows/MacOS, others) and functions are more fluid, it does what iMessage and Facetime do combined and better. It is just catching up in the videocall department because it started as a messaging app. FaceTime just introduced this feature only a while ago, and it debuted with horrible bugs and lawsuits for privacy concerns, there are better contenders out there.

I explain that Apples services are likely more secure, that they have in effect paid a premium to have these services and they look at me blankly.

Lol, no. Apple products are as secure or insecure as any other products out there. Privacy in this era is a myth. For instance, Apple uses Amazon data centers and end-to-end encryption protocols that are very similar (the same?) to what other players in the industry use. And yet they still need to comply with authorities when they are mandated to. They also need to comply with Chinese monitoring practices in order to work there, something that not even evil Google has kneel-down to do.

Apple's software is also buggy, just like any other company out there (Mail, iOS 11, iOS13 come to mind). Anyone could spy on you through FaceTime without you even answering the call:

Apple's FaceTime privacy bug allowed possible spying | Malwarebytes Labs

Social media caught fire yesterday as the news of a new Apple bug spread. It seemed that there was a flaw...

blog.malwarebytes.com

Apple also saves personal info of the contact you called like email and phone number for 30 days after you called them "in case you want to call them again)... Not even WhatsApp does that... so pick your poison:

Is Apple FaceTime safe?

With the sudden interest in making video calls to family, friends and colleagues we look at whether FaceTime is a safe solution for making video calls. We explain what you need to know about whether FaceTime can be hacked and if FaceTime calls are secure.

www.macworld.co.uk

 

[RecentlyConverted]

WhatsApp has better features than FaceTime, it is multiplatform (iOS/Android/Windows/MacOS, others) and functions are more fluid, it does what iMessage and Facetime do combined and better. It is just catching up in the videocall department because it started as a messaging app. FaceTime just introduced this feature only a while ago, and it debuted with horrible bugs and lawsuits for privacy concerns, there are better contenders out there.



Lol, no. Apple products are as secure or insecure as any other products out there. Privacy in this era is a myth. For instance, Apple uses Amazon data centers and end-to-end encryption protocols that are very similar (the same?) to what other players in the industry use. And yet they still need to comply with authorities when they are mandated to. They also need to comply with Chinese monitoring practices in order to work there, something that not even evil Google has kneel-down to do.

Apple's software is also buggy, just like any other company out there (Mail, iOS 11, iOS13 come to mind). Anyone could spy on you through FaceTime without you even answering the call:

Apple's FaceTime privacy bug allowed possible spying | Malwarebytes Labs

Social media caught fire yesterday as the news of a new Apple bug spread. It seemed that there was a flaw...

blog.malwarebytes.com

Apple also saves personal info of the contact you called like email and phone number for 30 days after you called them "in case you want to call them again)... Not even WhatsApp does that... so pick your poison:

Is Apple FaceTime safe?

With the sudden interest in making video calls to family, friends and colleagues we look at whether FaceTime is a safe solution for making video calls. We explain what you need to know about whether FaceTime can be hacked and if FaceTime calls are secure.

www.macworld.co.uk

Thanks for the links. Will have a read.

 

[Winni]

I know so many people who have Apple products, who use WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger instead of iMessage, WhatsApp etc instead of Facetime, to other Apple users. I don't understand why.

I explain that Apples services are likely more secure, that they have in effect paid a premium to have these services and they look at me blankly.

Try using those Apple services with the billions (!) of non-Apple customers, then you know why people look at you blankly. Apple services are isolated islands, they were designed to lock people into the Apple ecosystem and they don't play well with others - they never have and never will.
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Apple need to come up with a solution soon, so that we can give Mark the middle finger.

There's no need. Plenty of alternatives are already on the market, many of them can even be properly used for business purposes (e.g. Zoom or Microsoft Teams).

 

[mrkite77]

Say what you will about Zoom, but earlier this month my work had a 65 person zoom call that ran without a hitch.

 

[RecentlyConverted]

Try using those Apple services with the billions (!) of non-Apple customers, then you know why people look at you blankly. Apple services are isolated islands, they were designed to lock people into the Apple ecosystem and they don't play well with others - they never have and never will.
[automerge]1588092577[/automerge]

You didn't see, or chose not to see I was talking of Apple to Apple users. Yes, many features Apple provide are designed to lock you in (they are a business after all, and as with most businesses, profit is the number 1,2 & 3 priority). What I don´t understand is people buying a product at a premium price and not using the features they paid for. Obviously if you need to connect to another platform, you need third party applications.

 

[hieromonk]

You are one of the very few who didn’t get brain washed / give in to mark suckerberg company’s procédure yet
weird people replied like you are the one with the problems,
That’s why I would always make my stand and refuse to give in, I don’t even have that lame ass whatapp or any apps from Facebook on my phone

why would I dumb myself down if people around choose to use android and Microsoft windows ? It is their problem and I’m the one who have to kneel?
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You answered your own question. I don't think it's easy to find a group of 8 friends who only have iPhones.

You are wrong

especially Asia or main city like New York , normal people or younger generations would simply pick Apple over any other brand, it doesn’t matter if the nerds and old dudes decided to keep using android and windows , they aren’t and won’t be relevant anyway

for example , Any girls would have had an Apple Watch even just a waitress I met today have one ( most of the people don’t even touch it and use the feature inside it they just buy and wear it like part of the Apple ecosystem)

Teenagers are obsessed with Apple’s iPhone.


A staggering 84 % of U.S. teenagers have an iPhone, according to Piper Jaffray’s latest Taking Stock With Teens survey of more than 5,500 kids. That figure is up from 74% in the fall. Better yet for Apple, 81% of respondents told Piper Jaffray that their next smartphone will be an iPhone, up from 79% in the fall.

 

[SgtPepper12]

You are wrong

especially Asia or main city like New York , normal people or younger generations would simply pick Apple over any other brand, it doesn’t matter if the nerds and old dudes decided to keep using android and windows , they aren’t and won’t be relevant anyway

for example , Any girls would have had an Apple Watch even just a waitress I met today have one ( most of the people don’t even touch it and use the feature inside it they just buy and wear it like part of the Apple ecosystem)

Teenagers are obsessed with Apple’s iPhone.


A staggering 84 % of U.S. teenagers have an iPhone, according to Piper Jaffray’s latest Taking Stock With Teens survey of more than 5,500 kids. That figure is up from 74% in the fall. Better yet for Apple, 81% of respondents told Piper Jaffray that their next smartphone will be an iPhone, up from 79% in the fall.

Alright, so let's take the teenager number. Now let's pick 8 people randomly. The chance that all those people have an iPhone is 0.84^8 = 24.8%. See, even though the iPhone is so widespread, in a random group of eight teenagers, the chance that at least one of them does not own an iPhone is 75.2% (of course there is a correlation between your choice of phone and your friends' choices of phone because that's how people work unfortunately). For most normal people that is reason enough to switch to an alternative that allows them to include everyone in the conversation, just in case. And once you got used to an alternative and its features, you are unlikely to switch back to FaceTime whenever you can.

 

[swrobel]

Has anyone actually attempted a large Group FaceTime call on an iPad or Mac? The interface is so bizarre I wonder if anyone has. Faces bouncing all over the screen, changing sizes seemingly at random... it’s completely distracting and unnecessary. Now, I wish this WhatsApp news was of any use to me, but their lack of iPad support has pushed me to other video calling platforms (zoom & hangouts).

 

[Okasian]

Some of my family + older relatives have iMessage (but they’re computer illiterate, so a simple messaging service that evokes SMS-esque metaphors, with traditional phone numbers, works well for them due to the familiarity.)

Friends my age (Mid 20s,) who also have an iOS device have iMessage, but we mostly use Messenger and WhatsApp due to their ubiquity and pervasiveness across society.

These are all anecdotes.



Affordability takes precedence over privacy in-general.

The new 2020 SE is a huge leap forward w/ regards to commodification of iOS.

This is a good thing for the end user due to more choice and will force the hand of Android-based OEMs.

 

[Mr. Heckles]

I recently started using WhatsApp due to the virus and friends in Italy, and it’s not bad. I don’t like it due to Facebook owing them, but oh well.

 

[Ted13]

Not any more thank goodness. I had to install it to keep in contact with clients on Android devices during the lockdown. I was pleased to see contacts access is optional now.

Thanks for the info -- that's why I refused to instal WhatsApp in the past.
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Alright, so let's take the teenager number. Now let's pick 8 people randomly. The chance that all those people have an iPhone is 0.84^8 = 24.8%. See, even though the iPhone is so widespread, in a random group of eight teenagers, the chance that at least one of them does not own an iPhone is 75.2% (of course there is a correlation between your choice of phone and your friends' choices of phone because that's how people work unfortunately). For most normal people that is reason enough to switch to an alternative that allows them to include everyone in the conversation, just in case. And once you got used to an alternative and its features, you are unlikely to switch back to FaceTime whenever you can.

That's not how it works. The majority of my friends are boomers or Gen Xers -- far from teens. Yet every single one that we group chat to is an Apple/iPhone user. It has to do with demographics, locations (like NYC or former NYers).

When I deal with friends who were never NYers, usually from other countries, there tends to be a concentration of a specific messaging/video app they use by location -- and it is far from usually WhatsApp. There are Signal, Viber, Line, etc.
For business oriented groups there are Slack and Zoom.