WhatsApp Join Group Call Expanded Beyond Start

WhatsApp expanded its Group Call system beyond a one-time-join rule to allow joining at a later time. Joinable calls, as they're called, "reduce the burden of answering a group call as it starts," according to a WhatsApp representative commenting on the release. It also "brings the spontaneity and ease of in-person conversations to group calling on WhatsApp."

Users can now leave and join group calls in WhatsApp the same as they would with any other sort of group conversation with almost any other app of this sort in the world today. Much like you'd have been able with any other group video call, in the past, now WhatsApp allows you to miss a call when the call is supposed to start, but join when it's handy.

So long as a WhatsApp group call is active, a user can join and leave said call. There's a new call info screen so the creator of the call can "see who is already on the call." The creator can also see who's still invited to the call but hasn't yet joined said call.

If a group call starts and your WhatsApp app rings, but you'd rather not jump in on said call immediately, you can hit the new "ignore" button. Once ignored, a group call will appear in a users calls tab in the WhatsApp app. Users can join said calls whenever they like.

It's still suggested by WhatsApp that the experience will still be end-to-end encrypted. Above you'll see a demonstration video from WhatsApp about how to create and join a group call in the WhatsApp app.

Other rules of a group call remain, including a maximum of 8 participants active at any one time, and the inability to remove a contact during a group video call. It's important to note that a third party can initiate a group call with someone you've blocked. You COULD be invited into a group call with someone who you've blocked – it's only between the two of you that the blocking remains (adding contacts, calling a blocked contact, and etc.).