Feature Article

Free eNews Subscription>>
April 23, 2015

WhatsApp Calling Feature Gives iPhone Users a Voice

As WhatsApp continues to see its subscriber base grow, the subscription-based messenger app is turning to voice as away to get a leg up on the widening array of mobile calling apps.

Earlier this month, the Facebook-owned company revamped its interface by creating separate tabs for calls, contacts and chats upon upgrading to version 2.12.5. But in addition to some download hurdles—which have since been scaled—the offer was only made available to Android users, leaving iOS folk out in the cold. This changed earlier this week with the inclusion of the WhatsApp Calling feature for the iPhone. 

Like FaceTime or Skype, iPhone users will now be able to make free voice calls on data or Wi-Fi, anywhere in the world. The basic premise is no different than the version for Android. Upon receiving a call, the user will get a push notification, and from here they can take the call, and subsequently switch over to speaker, mute the caller—fairly basic telephone type stuff. Alternatively, the user can reject the call, and send a message.

While not necessarily revolutionary, WhatsApp’s calling feature provides an essential free service that will help it compete against Skype and other big-name apps that uses voice calling. And even though so many mobile users are relying more heavily on video calls for a personal, face-to-face interaction, voice calling is useful in areas with poor bandwidth, for frequent travelers, and those with family and friends living overseas. In other words, when video fails, voice picks up the slack, making apps such as WhatsApp and other seemingly dated voice calling features essential.

WhatsApp users on iPhones have a voice now. And who knows, maybe by this time next year they’ll have eyes, a nose, and a mouth, too. It all depends on whether or not WhatsApp decides to dip their toes into video or not.  




Edited by Maurice Nagle


FOLLOW MobilityTechzone

Subscribe to MobilityTechzone eNews

MobilityTechzone eNews delivers the latest news impacting technology in the Wireless industry each week. Sign up to receive FREE breaking news today!
FREE eNewsletter