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WhatsApp has on Thursday announced the introduction of the voice and video calling feature on the desktop version of the messaging app. The Facebook-owned company also noted that video calls will “seamlessly” work on desktop screens in both landscape and portrait mode, adding that the calls will be end-to-end encrypted.

However, the app said the desktop version for Windows and Mac will only support one-on-one calls but the company plans to later expand the feature to include group calls.

“Answering on a bigger screen makes it easier to work with colleagues, see your family more clearly on a bigger canvas or free up your hands to move around a room while talking,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said.

“To make desktop calling more useful, we made sure it works seamlessly for both portrait and landscape orientation appears in a resizable standalone window on your computer screen, and is set to be always on top so you never lose your video chats in a browser tab or stack of open windows.”

The new feature will enable WhatsApp to be at par with other conferencing apps like Microsoft’s Skype, Zoom, Google Meet, among others especially as the majority of people hold virtual meetings and teleconferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WhatsApp broke its worldwide record for voice and video calls on New Year’s Eve in 2020 after 1.4 billion people used the app to speak to loved ones.

"With so many people still apart from their loved ones, and adjusting to new ways of working, we want conversations on WhatsApp to feel as close to in-person as possible, regardless of where you are in the world or the tech you're using," the company said.

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