WhatsApp has announced that the voice and video calls feature, available on iOS and Android phones, can also be used on the desktop version of the app.
“WhatsApp voice and video calls are now available on desktop for everyone,” WABetaInfo announced on Twitter.
To inform users about the feature’s availability on the desktop version, WhatsApp is rolling out official status updates on the messaging app.
Last month, WhatsApp had confirmed news reports that the video and voice call features of the app are now available on the platform’s desktop version.
“Sometimes you just need a little more space,” WhatsApp tweeted as it announced the new feature.
It added that “secure and reliable, end-to-end encrypted voice and video calls” will be available on the desktop app.
The app was reportedly working on the implementation of calls on WhatsApp Web/Desktop (a connection with the phone is always needed) for the past two years or so.
Meanwhile, pundits have fingered the move as a strategy to keep users still interested in WhatsApp as the May 15 deadline for the rollout of the new and unpopular privacy policy nears.
WhatsApp owners, Facebook are compelling all their over 2.5 billion users, except those in Europe, to link their WhatsApp details to their Facebook accounts, so the company can easily sell the details to advertisers.
Europe has stopped from them breaching the privacy of users on the continent, while Apple has also launched a policy to protect iPhone and iPad users from same.
Millions of WhatsApp users have also signed on to Signal and Telegram as alternatives. But Facebook insists the policy covers only business platforms, even though all users do get notification to sign on to it or lose their account on May 15.
Facebook is also facing huge criticism for plans to introduce an Instagram platform for children, dubbed Instagram for Kids. The company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has dismissed concerned raised by child protection activists, saying children would love to connect with their friends.
