In a move that will get a lot of attention, WhatsApp is rolling out it’s video calling feature that will be encrypted. The new video calling feature is rolling out on Android, iOS and Windows 10 Mobile. Here’s what the company said on a blog post that went up on Monday:
We’re introducing this feature because we know that sometimes voice and text just aren’t enough. There’s no substitute for watching your grandchild take her first steps, or seeing your daughter’s face while she’s studying abroad. And we want to make these features available to everyone, not just those who can afford the most expensive new phones or live in countries with the best cellular networks.
The reason why this will get a lot of attention is that it is going to take a direct shot at FaceTime from Apple and Skype from Microsoft. It will also get a lot of attention from law enforcement who tend not to be thrilled about anything that is online and encrypted since that takes away their ability to snoop.
If you’re a WhatsApp user and you haven’t seen this feature yet, it should appear in the coming days.