Announced last week, Facebook-owned WhatsApp has now started rolling out an update for the iOS version of the app that allows up to eight people in a group video call. Previously, the service had a limit of only 4 participants in a video call.
The move to expand the number of users in a group video call comes as there has been a rise in the use of video calling services across the globe due to the coronavirus pandemic. Google had also recently expanded the group video calling limit in Duo from eight to 12 people and it plans to further extend on that.
It was discovered in mid-April that Facebook was looking to expand the group video calling limit in WhatsApp. The company then went ahead and made the announcement last week when it announced Messenger Rooms which allowed for group video calling with up to 50 people.
WhatsApp Version 2.20.50 change-log:
- Group video and voice calls now support up to 8 participants. All participants need to be on the latest version of WhatsApp.
- Visual improvements for iOS 13 users including updated message action menu.
If you extensively use WhatsApp for group video calling, the enhanced group call limit is going to come in handy for you. Make sure to update the app from the App Store though to enjoy the feature though. It is also required that other parties in a group video call are also on the latest version of WhatsApp so that one can do group video call with up to eight participants.
If you need help, check out our article to learn how to make group voice or video calls with 8 people in WhatsApp.
Last week, Facebook launched the Messenger Rooms app that allows you to have group video calls with up to 50 people. Skype also has a limit of 50 people. Meanwhile, Zoom allows you to have calls with up to 100 people, but you can increase this limit by buying an add-on. FaceTime has a limit of 32 people. You also might want to check out the best apps for group video calling to see all the options.
Do you think increasing the limit to 8 in WhatsApp is enough? Which app are you currently using to make group video calls?
