While most of the world still bears the wounds of the pandemic, people are longing for ways to connect with friends, family and even colleagues more efficiently. Although lockdowns formulate part of our lives these days, brands understand the need for connection while being physically separated, and WhatsApp have added a new feature that allows people to do just that.
WhatsApp have announced an update that will glean its users with the ability to join a group call in the app, even after the call has started.
As WhatsApp says, “Some of the best conversations happen when you least expect it. Now, if someone in your group misses a call when the phone rings, they can still join whenever they like. You can also drop-off and re-join so long as the call is still ongoing.”
The new group call information screen will display who has already joined the call and people who have been invited but have not yet joined; it is a pretty convenient way to smooth the process of group networking.
From a business perspective, this could also enable easier, more efficient communication amongst colleagues in a more ‘informal’ environment.
However, due to the messaging platform’s privacy focus, it cannot open public group chats in the same way that Clubhouse does. Users will have similar options though, but it will be limited to friends and connections. The ability to view pending group chats and leave/join at your will is the closest WhatsApp can provide to facilitate the same experience among connections and friends.
Sure, the pandemic has made all our lives more difficult. But, with constant innovation from tech giants such as WhatsApp, we have at our disposal the ability to connect with our friends, family, loved ones and colleagues in a way that promotes social distancing whilst progressively advancing what we know about technology.
