WhatsApp feature drop: Communities, 32-member video calls, and in-chat polls
What's the story
WhatsApp has started rolling out a slew of new features that will enhance your messaging experience.
The wait comes to an end as the promised 'Communities' feature is now accessible.
You can now also make video calls to 32 people at once, and groups will accommodate up to 1,024 members.
What's more? You can even create in-chat polls on the messaging platform.
Context
Why does this story matter?
WhatsApp has been working hard to revamp its platform. A recent update allowed users to react to statuses with emojis, create and share call links, and an admin delete feature was also implemented.
The Meta-owned company has been testing certain other features as well but we are currently excited about the new ones, in particular Communities and 32-member video calling.
Twitter Post
Take a look at WhatsApp's official post
Welcome to Communities 👋
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) November 3, 2022
Now admins can bring related groups together in one place to keep conversations organized.
Organized. Private. Connected 🤝 pic.twitter.com/u7ZSmrs7Ys
Communities
The 'Community' feature gathers related groups under one roof
"Communities like neighborhoods, parents at a school, and workplaces can now connect multiple groups together under one umbrella to organize group conversations on WhatsApp," as per the company's official blog post.
Admins can convey important information to everyone in the community in one go.
As per Meta, it has worked with over 50 organizations in 15 countries to develop the Community feature.
Accessibility
How to access the feature?
If you are an Android user, head to the top of your chat list to locate the 'Community' tab. It is present at the bottom of the chats on the iOS version.
WhatsApp allows you to start a new 'community' or merge the existing groups if you have admin rights.
You can also hop between groups in a community to gather the required information.
Other features
Video calls and groups will accommodate more members
WhatsApp now allows you to make video calls with 32 people.
Further, group chats on the messaging app have become bigger than before. A single group chat can now hold up to 1,024 members.
The social media platform is also releasing in-chat polls. Using this feature, you can create a question and add up to 12 possible answers.