WhatsApp is expanding how it connects with people who are not regular users of its service. The Meta-owned company has announced guest calling, a feature that lets someone join a call even if they don't have a WhatsApp account. The option mirrors the little-known ability to join a FaceTime call without an Apple account or device.
Guest calling comes with restrictions. Guests cannot start a call; they can only receive and accept invitations. They must also be approved by the call host before joining. Guests will not be able to view other users' phone numbers, send messages or add more members to the call. They can, however, join one-to-one or group calls from a browser, and once approved, they can use core tools such as screen sharing, raising their hand, and reacting with thumbs-up and heart emojis. Guests also face no time limits on their participation.
The company also plans to make collaboration easier with a calendar integration plugin, set to launch later this year. It will let users create WhatsApp calls directly from Google or Outlook calendars.
The update follows a brisk pace of feature releases this year, many aimed at making the service more accessible, secure and appealing to business users. Usernames let people keep their phone numbers private, while recent additions include encrypted web calls and account signups via iPad. The service may also offer a much-requested option to schedule messages in advance.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing