WhatsApp finally launches video calls: Feature will come to Android, iOS and Windows Phone in the coming days

WhatsApp finally launches video calls: Feature will come to Android, iOS and Windows Phone in the coming days

.WhatsApp adopted end-to-end encryption this year for its messages
.Same encryption will be used on the new video calling feature, they said
.The company wants to make video calls accessible for people worldwide
Improvements in phone cameras, battery life and bandwidth has made the service viable for a significant proportion of WhatsApp users.

Already one of the world’s most popular means of communication, it seems WhatsApp now hopes to compete with services like FaceTime and Skype.

The app has officially launched video calling, and the feature will be rolling out its over one billion users worldwide on iOS, Android and the Windows Phone app over the next few days.
In keeping with WhatsApp’s data security standards, the new video calling feature will be fully encrypted, protecting calls from being listened into.

We’re introducing this feature because we know that sometimes voice and text just aren’t enough,’ the company said.

‘There’s no substitute for watching your grandchild take her first steps, or seeing your daughter’s face while she’s studying abroad.’
The move comes as privacy advocates worry about the potential for stepped-up government surveillance in the US under a Trump administration.

WhatsApp, which boasts more than a billion users worldwide, adopted end-to-end encryption early this year, making it technically impossible for the company or government authorities to read messages or listen to calls.

The new video calling service will provide another means for people to communicate without fear of eavesdropping though WhatsApp does retain other data such as an individual’s list of contacts.

 

HOW TO MAKE A VIDEO CALL
Making a video call on the WhatsApp app will be simple.
1) Open a chat
2) Tap the ‘call’ icon
3) Select ‘Video call’
4) Wait for the other person to answer
The video service is well integrated and adds a few twists.
Users can move around the thumbnail video showing what their correspondent sees and flick a video call in progress to the side to minimize it while checking texts or email.

Culled from mailonline