WhatsApp has launched end-to-end encrypted voice and video calls on its desktop app for Windows and Mac.
The Facebook-owned company says it’s starting with one-to-one calls to ensure it can provide a reliable experience. It plans to expand the feature to include group voice and video calls in the future.
“Answering on a bigger screen makes it easier to work with colleagues, see your family more clearly on a bigger canvas, or free up your hands to move around a room while talking,” WhatsApp notes.
The company tested the calling experience to ensure that it works seamlessly both in portrait and landscape orientation, appears in a resizable standalone window and is set to be always on top so the chats don’t get lost in open windows.
“Voice and video calls on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, so WhatsApp can’t hear or see them, whether you call from your phone or your computer,” the messaging service outlined in the announcement post.
It’s not surprising that WhatsApp has brought the feature to its desktop app, especially since people have become accustomed to staying in touch virtually amid the pandemic.
Although Facebook and WhatsApp have faced significant backlash for their recent privacy policy change, its impact on WhatsApp’s current user base is unknown.
Image credit: WhatsApp
Source: WhatsApp
