Talking to people across the globe has never been easier. With voice communication now over a
century old, people are finding ever new ways of communicating. This can be largely contributed to the dawn of the digital age and the advancements in the field of tele-communications.
With platforms like WeChat, Skype and Viber popping up every other day is allowing people to connect over voice every day.
Joining the growing band of VoIP (Voice over IP) providers is Whatsapp (Yes, the app that was acquired by Facebook for over $1 billion recently).
So what does this mean for the users of the most popular messaging app in the world? Well, let's analyze the service provided by Whatsapp.
1. Voice Quality - While providers like Skype have been players in the tele-communication industry for decades, their voice quality as compared to that provided by Viber leaves a lot to be desired.
Having had a chance to use Whatsapp calling, I can say that the messaging service probably jumped the gun when it came to launching a competitor service. Calling devices over EDGE network, I noticed that it took some time for the receiver's device to start ringing and sometimes it did not ring at all.
Voice quality for the messaging platform also leaves a lot to be desired. I noticed a lag of several seconds when both my friend and I were getting good WiFi reception.
2. Video Functionality - While providers like Skype and Viber provide video calling facility also, Whatsapp has released its voice calling feature only. Can we expect Video calling facility probably later? Guess we'll just have to wait and see.
3. Group Calling - Another important aspect of calling is the ability to talk to a group of friends and make plans for oh let's say that long weekend or planning a trip out-of-town. Sadly Whatsapp does not provide this feature either.
All in all, I don't find this feature by Whatsapp to be that great a move. Sure, it's the messaging app of preference for millions or dare I say billions across the globe but on the other hand, if my friends are willing to use any other app that provides all of the above mentioned facilities, I wouldn't mind switching over to the platform.
