WhatsApp has introduced free video calling

[WYP]

WhatsApp has introduced free video calling, which will be introduced to Android, iOS and Windows phones over the next few days.



Read more on WhatsApp's new video call feature.

 

[SuB]

This announcement will bring voice calling for free to online devices, providing mobile users with an alternative to Skype and FaceTime which will be available on all major mobile platforms. All users will need to pay for is data, which will be effectively free if your device is connected to WiFi.

Video*

It's already got voice calling

WhatsApp has stated that they want to make video calling available to everyone", not just those with expensive phones or have access to the fastest cellular networks, which means that WhatsApp video calls are designed to use minimal amounts of data and will dynamically optimise video quality based on your phone's connection strength.

Random quote tag?

Also doesn't *every* video calling app already do this? Hangouts does, Duo does, and so does skype.

I love that they're doing it, it's about time, but they needn't be selling it as something 'new and innovative' because it's not. If they can hook it up with desktop, it'l be the app to beat for all messaging.

 

[WYP]

Video*

It's already got voice calling



Random quote tag?

Also doesn't *every* video calling app already do this? Hangouts does, Duo does, and so does skype.

I love that they're doing it, it's about time, but they needn't be selling it as something 'new and innovative' because it's not. If they can hook it up with desktop, it'l be the app to beat for all messaging.

Typos have been fixed.

I do agree that it is a necessary addition, but I hope that some of these functions can work on the desktop app in the future. It will pretty much replace skype for me if they do that.

 

[NeverBackDown]

Just wondering, but since everything is encrypted with 256bit, wouldn't that mean data usage would be higher than an unencrypted version? Or is it minimal difference so the added security is worth it?

 

[SuB]

Just wondering, but since everything is encrypted with 256bit, wouldn't that mean data usage would be higher than an unencrypted version? Or is it minimal difference so the added security is worth it?

Non-discernable difference tbh. And even then, definitely worthit.

 

[SPS]

Just wondering, but since everything is encrypted with 256bit, wouldn't that mean data usage would be higher than an unencrypted version? Or is it minimal difference so the added security is worth it?

AES encryption doesn't increase the size of the data, it only pads by a few a bytes to fill the block/alignment requirements. You can still compress the data before encrypting.

 

[NeverBackDown]

I figured as much! Just wanted to make sure

 

[SuB]

It's the App to beat as far as communications go, as far as I'm concerned. It's cheap I'm paid up for like the next 5 years, and they've done almost everything I could ask for.