WhatsApp started offering video calls on their android and iPhone app in 2016. They also introduce a group calling feature soon after.
The group calling feature was limited to up to only four people, till 2020, when the limit has been lifted, and now up to 8 people can join group calls.
We've made it easier than ever to start a group call from WhatsApp for groups of 4 or less. From your group chat tap the video or voice call icon to directly start a call with everyone in the chat! 🙌
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) April 7, 2020
So this message was tweeted by WhatsApp Twitter handle on the 7th of April and it has now lifted that limit and it allows to add more than 4 people do a video call.
As you can see in the screenshot below I was able to add 7 participants, which means 8 people joining a video call including me.
Alternatives to WhatsApp Video Calling, for More Participants
Although there are alternatives to WhatsApp offering people to video chat with more than eight people such as Duo, which gives the option to add up to 12 people in a single video call and if you use FaceTime, you can add up to 32 people.
Or, if you have got a large group, you can turn to the Zoom video conferencing service, which pretty much works like a video call.
It’s a multi-platform service, and up to 100 people can join the room plan, with the element of up to 40 minutes for each video meeting.
Despite that, a lot of people Would Still Be using WhatsApp since it is convenient and is used by a billion people who are landed daily.
And since everyone is using WhatsApp, it is convenient for everyone to start a video call on WhatsApp.
The decision made by Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, came during a period where almost the entire world in lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.
And since everyone is locked up in their homes, not being able to meet their friends and distant family, everyone is turning to this video calling solutions to stay in touch.
Hopefully, WhatsApp will not rollback this limit it has lifted during this period, and users will be able to enjoy group calls even after this Global pandemic ends.