WhatsApp’s adding some new collaboration features to help expand its potential usage, including group call scheduling, call link notifications, and in-chat signals for contributors.

First off, on call scheduling. Now, WhatsApp users can schedule calls, and invite people or groups to join in advance, by pressing the “+” button in the "Calls" tab.

As you can see in this example, now, you can schedule group chats in the app, which will make it easier to organize in-stream connections, and maximize WhatsApp for expanded purpose.

And given that more and more people are coming to the app, that could be a valuable alternative, providing another way to conduct meetings on people’s preferred platform.   

As explained by WhatsApp:

“You can see and manage all your upcoming calls in the Calls tab, alongside a list of attendees and call links to add to your personal calendar or share with others. Helpfully, all participants will receive a notification when a call is about to begin.”

And if you are conducting group meetings in WhatsApp, participants will also be able to signal their intent to contribute, with a new “Raise hand” option in-stream.

That’s similar to other group chat tools, like Zoom and X Spaces, giving attendees an opportunity to engage, and enabling organizers to better manage the conversation.

And as you can see in the example screen, WhatsApp’s also added emoji reactions as well.

Finally, WhatsApp’s also updated its call links:

“Now, as a call link creator, you'll receive notifications when someone joins.”

That could help you keep tabs on the conversation, and ensure all attendees are welcomed, while also giving you more feedback on attendees and absences.

Some interesting updates, which could help to make WhatsApp a more valuable, viable option for group meetings, and even professional use cases along the same lines.