PHOTO: PUBLICITY
Reddit user Pradnesh Patil (pradnesh07) posted screenshots and even a video of WhatsApp's new interface that features voice calling.
The screenshots that Patil posted suggest that there would be separate screens for dialing on the new feature of the messaging service. The screenshots seem similar to leaked pictures of the interface that appeared online earlier in December.
According to Patil, the new calling feature is only available on WhatsApp’s website. So for now, eager users will need to download the file from the site until it is available on the Play Store for Android users.
However, even after installing the new version, voice calling will not be activated for all users. Users will only be able to get the voice calling feature if someone who has it enabled calls them through WhatsApp similar to an invite system, as per Patil. He added that the person who sent him the invite has confirmed that it works on all Android phones (and not just Android 5.0 phones).
Though many users may be excited for the new feature, WhatsApp has not formally announced it as yet. It is still in the testing phase with selected users.
According to WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum, the delay in rolling out voice calling feature was due to technical hurdles that developers were facing.
This new particular feature will put apps like Viber and WeChat in serious competition with the instant messaging service that has 700 million active users as of January 2015.
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