WhatsApp today introduced
screen sharing as its latest feature to enhance the video calling experience on
its platform — taking on traditional video conferencing apps including
Microsoft Meet, Google Meet, and Zoom as well as Apple’s FaceTime.
The new feature, announced
this morning by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg through a Facebook post and on his
Instagram channel, will allow you to share your documents, photos, and even
your shopping cart with contacts available on video calls.
First released for some
beta testers on Android in late May, screen sharing on WhatsApp can be accessed
by tapping or clicking the ‘Share’ icon. Users can choose between sharing a
specific app or their entire screen. This is similar to how screen sharing
works on typical video conferencing platforms like Google Meet and Zoom.
WhatsApp told TechCrunch
that the screen sharing feature has started rolling out on Android, iOS, and
Windows Desktop in a phased manner. That means you may not see the feature
immediately, but should soon.
Alongside screen sharing,
WhatsApp launched video calling support in Landscape mode to offer a wider and
more immersive viewing experience over the existing Portrait mode. Support for
the Landscape mode may also be useful when using screen sharing on the
platform.
Video calling has been a
part of WhatsApp for over six years, as it debuted for all users on the
platform in November 2016. However, the instant messaging app is gradually
improving the service to stay relevant in the competition. Just recently,
WhatsApp brought picture-in-picture support for video calls to iOS. It also
enabled the option to share short video messages in chats, as video, in
general, has been a crucial source of communication for many users.
Screen sharing has been a crucial feature of video conferencing apps for a while now, including those aimed at consumers. In 2021, for example, Apple enhanced its FaceTime service with SharePlay, which enabled iOS users to share their screens natively. WhatsApp has gone even further by extending this feature to users on Android, iOS, and desktop.
Source: TECHcrunch