WhatsApp delays plans to launch voice calling services until Q1 2015

By John Callaham
published

Way back in February, WhatsApp announced they were planning to add voice calling services to their popular messaging app in the second quarter of 2014. That time period came and went with no such addition. Now WhatsApp's CEO says they are targeting a first quarter 2015 date to add voice features.

In a presentation at the Code/Mobile conference this week, WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum admitted that the development team has a number of technical hurdles to overcome before launching voice features. One of them is that the app itself doesn't have access to the microphones on some smartphones.

WhatsApp was recently acquired by Facebook, but Koum said this week that he doesn't think WhatsApp will compete with Facebook Messenger, which also has free voice call features via WiFi. He said that while Facebook is designed to work on both mobile products and desktops, WhatsApp is designed to work just on mobile devices, so any voice messages will go to a user's contact list.

Would you use WhatsApp to send voice messages to your friends and contacts when the company adds this feature?

Source: Fierce Wireless

John Callaham
John Callaham

I have been writing professionally about technology and gaming news for 14 years.

11 Comments
  • Wish they would release an app with iPhone 6/6+ support.
  • Based on how long it took to get an iOS 7 version I wouldn't hold your breath.
  • They already have voice messages. You probably meant "call your friends". Sent from the iMore App
  • Good point. My tonight's exactly Sent from the iMore App
  • Seriously? Talking about strategy into FY15 or later but not able to support the new devices and the new iOS functionality now? And this is a company with good resources both developers and monetary and top of that a great parent company.
  • How about we get some optimization for the 6 and 6+ first then we'll talk about 2015. Sent from the iMore App
  • Big ambitions for a company that hasn't even updated optimization for the newest phone. The app looks awful on my Plus, and if I didn't have a friend with Android I would've deleted it a while ago. Sent from the iMore App
  • Yes, I have one friend on an Android who is scuppering my plans for all iMessage group chats, if it wasn't for him I would've deleted WhatsApp long ago.
  • Where's the f*cking iphone 6 optimization? Lazy bastards.. Sorry for sounding so mad, but with the time they've had and all the resources... Sent from the iMore App
  • Do you think they'll update for iPhone 6 phones AT that launch, no? They have to do separate releases? There are people who have whatsapp beta for iPhone 6... Sent from the iMore App
  • I won't be using whatsapp for anything as long as it's owned by Facebook! Sent from the iMore App