WhatsApp is set to gain Facebook Messenger Rooms integration soon, reveals new beta update. Facebook Messenger Rooms was announced over the weekend as a new group video calling experience with up to 50 people. At the time of the introduction, Facebook announced that WhatsApp and Instagram users would be able to join Messenger Rooms as well. However, it was unclear how the feature will work inside WhatsApp. Not anymore, as WABetaInfo has found the feature in the latest beta release.
WhatsApp beta version 2.20.139 for Android features a toggle for Messenger Rooms. The feature is not live yet or user-facing at this moment. However, it does show that Facebook is closer to making it live for WhatsApp users. Once the toggle is enabled, WhatsApp users will be able to join Messenger Rooms for group calling experience. With Facebook Messenger Rooms, the social media giant wants to challenge Zoom, Webex and Skype in the group video calling market.
First Look at Facebook Messenger Rooms within WhatsApp
Zoom has become a superstar in the software world as millions of people stay home, work from home or connect from home. However, Facebook wants to take the fight to Zoom by leveraging all of its platforms. With Messenger Rooms, it imagines a group calling experience that is platform agnostic in some way. A user might start the call on Messenger then get more people to join via WhatsApp and Instagram. It also lets people join via Portal and anyone with a link can join as well.
Photo: WABetaInfo
The beta release hints at Rooms becoming a new option between Document and Gallery when you tap on the attachment icon on any chat window. When Facebook Messenger Rooms meets WhatsApp, the trick should be enough to drive hundreds and thousands of users and video calls. The feature is reportedly rolling out in a few countries but Facebook has not offered any timeline. In the latest beta build of WhatsApp, the feature is not directly visible to the user.
We checked for this feature on our Android device running beta version 2.20.139. However, we could not see the feature and it is possible that it needs a server-side update. When it goes live, WhatsApp users will be able to tap on the Room option and create a room. Once created, you can either invite someone to join and share a direct link. The popularity of Rooms might depend on the fact that you don’t need WhatsApp or Messenger app to get started.
