WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.23.19.16.
What’s new in this update? WhatsApp is rolling out a feature to initiate group calls with up to 31 participants, along with minor improvements to the calls tab, and it is available to some beta testers!
| Common questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature? | Improved calling |
| Status? | Rolling out |
| Compatibility? | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.19.16 is marked as a compatible update, but some users may be able to get the same feature by installing one of the following builds: 2.23.19.13, 2.23.19.14, and 2.23.19.15. |
| I’ve installed this update but I don’t have this feature. Why? | This feature is available to some beta testers, and it’s rolling out to more people over the coming weeks. |
| Thanks: | Kingcyrious, FastenM, Saadh Jawwadh, Sc, and Technical MJ TV, for testing and reporting! |
| Previous news? | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.19.15: what’s new? WhatsApp is rolling out an automatic security code verification feature for end-to-end encryption! |
| WABetaInfo Channel on WhatsApp: | Invite link |
IMPROVED CALLING
In the article about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.15.14 update, we announced some enhancements available to certain beta testers: 15-people group calling. This update allowed users to initiate group calls with up to 15 participants, which we considered a significant improvement from the previous limit of just 7 people. It seems that WhatsApp keeps working on improving calls by adding similar enhancements with the latest updates. In particular, after installing the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.19.16 update, which is available on the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is now rolling out a revised interface for the calls tab along with a 31-people group calling feature!
As you can see in this screenshot, WhatsApp added some minor tweaks to the calls tab. Specifically, call links are no longer mentioned within this screen, which now only states that it’s possible to call one or more contacts. In addition, the floating action button was updated with a plus icon. The update also introduces the ability to initiate a group call with up to 31 people, making this process even faster than before as it’s possible to immediately connect with a larger group of participants in just a few taps.
It’s important to highlight that while WhatsApp already allowed group calls of up to 32 participants in the past updates, users initially had a selection limit of 15 contacts when starting such a call. In our opinion, this enhancement significantly enhances the utility of the group calling feature: thanks to these recent improvements, users can now immediately start large group calls by picking up to 32 people including the caller who initiated the call, eliminating the previous restriction which could appear restrictive in some situations and cause confusion among users.
The feature to initiate group calls with up to 31 participants, along with minor improvements to the calls tab, is available to a limited number of beta testers who install the latest WhatsApp beta for Android update from the Google Play Store, and it is rolling out to even more people over the coming weeks.
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