WhatsApp is introducing a new voice chat feature for group conversations in its Android beta version. Users enrolled in the beta program will notice a new voice waveform icon within group chats, as reported by WABetaInfo. By selecting the waveform icon, users can instantly initiate a voice chat, and a dedicated interface will appear.

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The voice chat allows all participants in the group to join the conversation at any time. However, if no one joins the voice chat within the first 60 minutes, it will automatically end. Nevertheless, anyone can initiate a new audio conversation whenever they wish.

This new feature is limited to specific groups, typically those with more than 32 participants. While the feature is generally accessible for such groups, only up to 32 participants can join a voice chat at once. The primary advantage of this feature is that it enables users to start a call without ringing everyone's phones in the group.

Despite the silent notification for all group participants when a new voice chat starts, the feature remains protected by end-to-end encryption. This ensures that only the participants of the voice call can listen to its contents. Users who install the latest WhatsApp beta for Android update can currently access the voice chat feature. However, it appears that a wider release is planned, potentially allowing some stable version users to experiment with the feature as well.

In addition to the voice chat, WhatsApp recently introduced an admin review feature for group chats in its Android beta version.

With inputs from IANS