PiP mode comes to WhatsApp video calls: what is it for

Smartphones from Manzana has received a new WhatsApp update that has brought, among other changes, an improvement that has come to solve one of the main problems with video calling.

Unlike Android device users, those with iPhones could not make video calls and at the same time, use other apps or consult other chats.

Upon exiting the app, users stopped watching the video and could only listen, as if it were an audio call. With this update, WhatsApp has implemented the “PiP” (Picture in Picture) mode..

The update in question is WhatsApp version 23.2.77 for iOS operating systems. The development is already available so that all users can install it from the Apple App Store, includes this option.

How PiP mode works in WhatsApp

Basically, what makes it possible is that, if the messaging application is minimized, during a video call, a floating window appears on the device screen which allows you to view both the user’s image and the that of the contact you are talking to.

This feature also lets you use the iPhone for other things, like surfing the Internet or checking email. Ideal, therefore, to increase multitasking increasingly present on mobile devices.

Something quite curious is that the possibility of using PiP (Picture and Picture) in the operating system has been present in the iPhone for a long time (since iOS 14), so it never ceases to amaze that this possibility in video calls was not present in Apple terminals before.

This improvement to WhatsApp video calling on iPhone is something that messenger owner Meta has been looking for for some time and it makes all the sense in the world. Offering everyone the same functions as its Android rival is the logical thing to do, no matter how different the operating systems are.

This package of WhatsApp improvements also includes the new avatars or the ability to add comments when sending documents as happens with images and videos.

In this way, the most popular messenger among mobiles has taken an important step in the video calling sector on Apple devices after its breakthrough in 2016 and its popularity peak during the isolation due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Improvements in WhatsApp statuses

WhatsApp, on the other hand, launched a package of new updates in early February that will arrive for the States, thus providing more ways to connect with friends and family.

For greater privacy, the user of the messaging service can use the audience selector to control who can see your status.

The rest of the new features include voice messagesStatus reactions for quick replies, profile status ring when there are new updates, and link preview for more visual status updates.

Status is a popular tool for sharing ephemeral updates with friends and close contacts on WhatsApp. It disappears after 24 hours and can include photos, videos, GIFs, text and more. Just like personal calls and chats, it’s protected by end-to-end encryption, so any user can share it anywhere. private and secure.