WhatsApp could soon let you share music during video calls
What's the story
WhatsApp is gearing up to introduce a new feature that will enable users to share music and other audio files during screen sharing in video calls. Currently in development, this update aims to provide a more engaging and interactive audio-visual experience during virtual meetups. Soon, users will be able to enjoy shared playlists, watch videos together, and collaborate on multimedia projects, boosting connection among participants.
Details
Details of the upcoming feature
This upcoming feature was spotted in the WhatsApp iOS beta update, carrying version iOS 23.25.10.72, accessible through the TestFlight app. Once activated, audio played on a device will be shared with everyone in the call, allowing users to listen to video and music audio together during screen sharing. However, this feature will not be available for voice calls or video calls with the video turned off.
Benefits
Potential use cases
The addition of real-time audio sharing during screen-sharing sessions brings a new dimension to video calls. This enhancement could also prove valuable for screen-sharing during presentations and calls with friends and family, further expanding WhatsApp's calling capabilities. It's possible that the feature may also support watch parties, which will allow users to watch movies and TV shows together.
Insights
Possibility of watch parties on WhatsApp
It's worth noting that streaming services typically limit viewing their content via screen sharing. Amazon has its own watch party feature, but the host and participants are all required to have Prime memberships. Hence, it's unclear whether WhatsApp's latest feature would enable WhatsApp-based watch parties for locally stored videos on the host's device. As this feature continues to develop, it will be interesting to see how it evolves and what new possibilities it brings for WhatsApp users.