WhatsApp Messenger for iOS Gains Voice Calling Capabilities

[MacRumors]

After promising to deliver voice calling capabilities back in 2014, WhatsApp has finally delivered, introducing voice over IP features in its latest update. With the new version of the app, it's possible for WhatsApp users to call friends and family directly within the app using a Wi-Fi or cellular connection at no cost.

The introduction of voice calling to the Facebook-owned WhatsApp app puts it on par with Facebook's other messaging app, Facebook Messenger, which gained voice calling back in 2013. It also allows the app to better compete with other iOS-based VoIP calling options like Skype and FaceTime Audio.

Today's WhatsApp update also brings a few other features, including the iOS 8 share extension for sharing videos, photos, and links to WhatsApp from other apps, contact editing tools, and the ability to send multiple videos at one time.

What's new
-WhatsApp Calling: Call your friends and family using WhatsApp for free, even if they're in another country. WhatsApp calls use your phone's Internet connection rather than your cellular plan's voice minutes. Data charges may apply. Note: WhatsApp Calling is rolling out slowly over the next several weeks.

-iOS 8 share extension: Share photos, videos, and links right to WhatsApp from other apps.

-Quick camera button in chats: Now you can capture photos and videos, or quickly choose a recent camera roll photo or video.

-Edit your contacts right from WhatsApp.

-Send multiple videos at once and crop and rotate videos before sending them.

WhatsApp can be downloaded from the App Store for free. The new WhatsApp calling feature will be rolling out to users over the next few weeks. [Direct Link]

Article Link: WhatsApp Messenger for iOS Gains Voice Calling Capabilities

 

[Simplicated]

Can we realistically expect an update that includes an Apple Watch app by 2020?

 

[johnalan]

Now this is really cool for those who don't have FaceTime enabled devices!

 

[bushido]

at last! now all we need is a dedicated mac app so i can rid of viber for good

 

[TMRJIJ]

As a punishment for being this late with some of these features, WhatsApp guys, MR literally waited 55 minutes after 9to5Mac to advertise your app.

 

[chriscrk]

Has this been released on Android as well, in order to make cross-platform calls?

I want them to add quick replies by pulling down a notification like in iMessage

 

[numlock]

at last! now all we need is a dedicated mac app so i can rid of viber for good

whats wrong with viber?

 

[anotherarunan]

Has this been released on Android as well, in order to make cross-platform calls?

I want them to add quick replies by pulling down a notification like in iMessage

Believe it started rolling out to Android users a few months ago.

 

[enthusiastic]

Can we realistically expect an update that includes an Apple Watch app by 2020?

What's the hurry?





/s

 

[Sirious]

I want them to add quick replies by pulling down a notification like in iMessage

This.
Quick replies are such a time saver.

 

[bushido]

I want them to add quick replies by pulling down a notification like in iMessage

well apple doesn't allow it

whats wrong with viber?

well I only really use it for my friends on Android so I can chat with them from my mac as they do not have iMessage

 

[EldonChew]

Has this been released on Android as well, in order to make cross-platform calls?

I want them to add quick replies by pulling down a notification like in iMessage

They had it for about a month already.

iOS 8's API doesn't allow any third-party app to do that, hopefully iOS 9 does

 

[furi0usbee]

Apps like this and Facetime audio, Hangouts, etc. must *really* get the carriers mad.

 

[gabriel193755]

Bug.

Does anyone noticed a bug with this version that when you get a message from a group chat with the app running in the background you receive the notification, but when you open the app there is no such message?

I am using an iPhone 5 iOS 8.3. (I couldn't repeat this bug in the iPhone 6 from my cousin).

 

[coolfactor]

at last! now all we need is a dedicated mac app so i can rid of viber for good

I share this sentiment. Viber has great potential, but for some bizarre reason, they've chosen to be an ugly stepchild of an app. Not quite fully native, but close enough that most users won't complain or even notice. I've been very vocal to them about their non-standard Mac app.

----------

Apps like this and Facetime audio, Hangouts, etc. must *really* get the carriers mad.

Over the next 5 years, carriers are going to become glorified internet service providers.

 

[rit]

Did anyone got the feature working?

 

[coolfactor]

whats wrong with viber?

They've used a non-standard development framework (Java? not sure). It's close, but not quite up to the Mac standard. Try selecting the text or performing contextual operations on text and you'll see what I mean. It's not Cocoa.

 

[liavman]

Unsolicited advice to Whatsapp/FB. Buy Meerkat and integrate it with Whasapp as a challenger for Twitter's Periscope. With whatsapp's social graph, it will fit in nicely with some added features like 'escalate to privacy'

 

[LordQ]

Great, now my friends will have yet another excuse to not use iMessage nor FaceTime audio.

 

[Klae17]

Apps like this and Facetime audio, Hangouts, etc. must *really* get the carriers mad.

They just charge more for data.

 

[tennisproha]

I wish everyone who have iOS devices would just use iMessage already. Its beautifully integrated. And hopefully Apple would open iMessage up to Android users. Wishful thinking?

 

[FriednTested]

well apple doesn't allow it



well I only really use it for my friends on Android so I can chat with them from my mac as they do not have iMessage

Hoe do you chat with them from your mac?

----------

Did anyone got the feature working?

Nope. I don't see any WhatsApp calling options yet

 

[C DM]

well apple doesn't allow it



well I only really use it for my friends on Android so I can chat with them from my mac as they do not have iMessage

So with WhatsApp you would then need to use WhatsApp to do that--seems like it would still require another app basically (be it WhatsApp or Viber).

----------

Apps like this and Facetime audio, Hangouts, etc. must *really* get the carriers mad.

Or not, since they really make their money off of data these days (more so than minutes or messages, which often come in unlimited form now), it only gets them more profit from those with overage data charges and/or those that are buying more expensive plans with more data to cover their increased data usage.

 

[bushido]

Hoe do you chat with them from your mac?

----------



Nope. I don't see any WhatsApp calling options yet

there's a mac app from viber that stays in sync with ur phone

They've used a non-standard development framework (Java? not sure). It's close, but not quite up to the Mac standard. Try selecting the text or performing contextual operations on text and you'll see what I mean. It's not Cocoa.

exactly, and the Ui is so ugly it stands out like u can't even secretly use it at work lol

 

[vjl323]

I share this sentiment. Viber has great potential, but for some bizarre reason, they've chosen to be an ugly stepchild of an app. Not quite fully native, but close enough that most users won't complain or even notice. I've been very vocal to them about their non-standard Mac app.

You should check out Telegram - it's got everything WhatsApp has [though now it is missing VOIP, but I think that's on their roadmap], and it is 100% free, not owned by FB, and open source [plus it has a nice Mac app, iPad app, and other major desktop/mobile OS platforms]. I use it as a mini-dropbox like service [you can send up to 1GB files to others as well as longer than 90 second videos and audio voicememos].

And it has the world's funkiest stickers [the only drawback thus far, but i don't use stickers often enough to care]. Viber's interface...wow...yeah...heh. They seem to like that ugly UI!

Telegram: http://telegram.org

Just FYI! [not a dev - just a happy user]