The ongoing lockdown has made people realise the importance of video calls. The feature is enabling people to stay in touch with their families and allowing big companies to remain operational. The popularity can be judged by looking at the sudden rise of video calling platforms like Zoom and Houseparty. Now, if you have been wondering why users have moved to other video calling apps with WhatsApp already installed in their devices, here is the answer. 

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As of now, WhatsApp group video calls allow only four contacts to be added. This is considerably less when compared to what other apps are offering. On Zoom, as many as 50 people can join a call at the same time! For work, most people are using platforms like Zoom, Google Hangouts, Skype, and some more. WhatsApp is not preferred for work video calls given it doesn’t connect more than four people on a video call at a time.

But, this is going to change soon. The instant messaging platform is reportedly testing a new limit for its group video calls. According to WhatsApp tracker WABetaInfo, the instant messaging platform is testing a new limit for group video calls. The messaging platform is yet to officially reveal the feature. However, WABetaInfo states that the feature will be rolled out to everyone in the new few weeks or so.

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According to the blog WhatsApp is “planning to extend the limit of participants in a voice or video group call! This is a decision already made. Actually it’s possible to have group calls with 4 participants (including you) but WhatsApp, probably due to the concerns for the Covid-19 and the fact that more users are using group calls, has decided to extend that limit to allow calls with more participants.”

Even though the blog doesn’t mention the new limit, it hints that this will be an even number – “Probably 6, maybe 8. 10, 12”. Extending the group limit at this crucial time can help WhatsApp have more people use the platform.