WhatsApp could soon make one of the most annoying limitations of its calling feature a thing of the past. The company is reportedly testing a way for people who don't even have a WhatsApp account to join a WhatsApp call.
The feature, spotted by WABetaInfo, is being developed as a guest calling option. If it eventually rolls out, users could invite someone to a call simply by sending them a link. The recipient would then be able to open that link in a browser and join the conversation without downloading WhatsApp or signing up for an account.
For now, that's not possible. Someone who doesn't have WhatsApp installed, or doesn't have an account, can't simply jump into a WhatsApp call. The reported guest option could make things considerably easier, especially when a person only needs to join a one-off conversation.
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A link could be all guests need
The process is expected to be fairly simple for the person starting the call. WhatsApp is reportedly working on an option within the Calls tab that will let the host create a call link. After selecting the type of call, the user can copy the link and send it to the other participants.
The interesting part comes when the recipient opens it. Instead of being asked to install the WhatsApp app or create an account, a non-WhatsApp user could reportedly open the link in a web browser and enter the call through WhatsApp Web.
The feature is said to be based on WhatsApp's existing guest chat system, suggesting the company is extending an idea it already uses rather than building the functionality completely from scratch.
The host would still be in charge
WhatsApp doesn't appear to be planning to turn these links into completely open calls. According to the report, guests would have to request access after opening the invitation, with the host manually approving them before they can join.
The person hosting the call would also reportedly retain control once everyone is connected. That could include adding or removing participants and ending the call for everyone.
Security is also expected to remain a part of the experience. The reported guest calls are said to support end-to-end encryption, although the exact implementation could change before the feature is released.
Don't expect to use it just yet
There is still a fair amount of uncertainty around the feature because WhatsApp hasn't made it available for testing. WABetaInfo says the guest calling functionality is currently under development and isn't ready for beta testers yet.
So, while the idea sounds straightforward, there's no confirmed release date at the moment. If WhatsApp does bring it to users, though, it could solve a fairly common problem: getting someone into a WhatsApp call without asking them to install another app or create an account just to participate once.