This archive report was first published on 12 May 2020.
Published on May 12, 2020, WhatsApp is gearing up to challenge Zoom in the video conferencing space with its new feature, Messenger Rooms. This new feature will enable users to hold video calls with up to 50 participants.
Messenger Rooms is currently in beta and is expected to be rolled out soon for both Web and desktop clients on iOS and Android. The feature will work across Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Facebook Gaming, and Portal Facebook.
WhatsApp has been working on this feature to ensure a seamless and bug-free experience for its users. The company is reportedly testing the feature to iron out any issues before its release.
Interestingly, this new upgrade will put WhatsApp at par with other popular video conferencing platforms such as Google Duo, Apple's FaceTime, Houseparty, Skype, and Facebook's Messenger Rooms, which also support up to 50 participants. Zoom's free tier, however, supports up to 100 participants.
Users will soon be able to create Messenger Rooms shortcuts on the WhatsApp Web update version 2.2019.6. These shortcuts will appear in the actions list in the chat and will also be available in the main menu on the desktop version.
Additionally, users will be able to connect directly within the WhatsApp Web app and Facebook Messenger Rooms will allow for the virtual background of participants to be added in the rooms.
