
WhatsApp to launch voice calling in the second quarter - harel
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/24/whatsapp-launch-voice-calling-facebook-app
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aleem
I have mixed feelings about this. I like WhatsApp because they fixed SMS (by
adding group chat and cheaper messaging). I also like the fact that they do
one thing and do it really well (ala DropBox).

The client is light and fast. I can use it a dozen times a day and it doesn't
get in the way. Skype, et al by contrast are bloated because every new release
must add new features. By the time version 20.0 comes out, it's bloated.

Same thing keeps happening over and over again with torrent clients. It
happened with WinAmp and to MS Word and nearly every other software that gets
popular.

You can almost see the thinking machinery in work. "450 million users? How
much are we making per user? $1 per user per year, that's it? Let's get into
VoIP, it's a billion trillion dollar per annum industry. Let's get the project
managers to layout the roadmap for the next year and set the milestones so we
can get there fast."

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enscr
Whatsapp's footprint (memory & battery) on Android is negligible. I love that
it just silently works in the background. If I wanted Skype, I'd be installing
Skype, so please Whatsapp, do what you do best. Oh wait, there's that new
manager of yours who wants to be a part of everyone's private lives. So long.

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zaidf
I will not complain if WhatsApp makes an attempt at killing all the shitty
chat apps such as Skype that are riding on their initial success but suck as a
product. It boggles my mind why skype randomly pops notifications on my iPhone
for messages sent to me months ago.

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DominikR
The only reason Whatsapp doesn't have this issue is that it doesn't allow you
to login with the same account on multiple devices like Skype does.

Both use the same underlying technology (XMPP) and both know how to use the
protocol, but it's still very hard to pull off at this scale once you allow
multiple devices to login with the same account.

Skype just has vastly more features, that's why they have these
synchronisation issues.

~~~
mercurial
> Both use the same underlying technology (XMPP) and both know how to use the
> protocol, but it's still very hard to pull off at this scale once you allow
> multiple devices to login with the same account.

Since when does Skype use XMPP? AFAIK, it uses a closed protocol. It appears
that Whatsapp does indeed use XMPP under the hood, though.

As for Skype, it's absolutely terrible at handling multiple devices. It would
get much better if the app phoned home when a given message arrived on a Skype
client with a focused window, in order to prevent/cancel already existing
alerts on other devices.

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Uehreka
I just got off an overseas voice call with my parents. We've been using Skype
forever, and it drops calls constantly. Tonight it was particularly bad, so I
googled around for a WebRTC client, found this
([https://vline.com/](https://vline.com/)) and told my mom to use it.

Immediately the call was clear as day. It dropped once or twice, but the
quality was pretty high otherwise. If I can find a WebRTC client with a few
more features, I may never use Skype (or any other XMPP video chat) again.

~~~
tracker1
WebRTC is pretty cool and it will be interesting to see where it goes, and how
well it works with multiple users. One thing I actually miss from before the
bots took over and everyone left, was the chat rooms and group chats in yahoo
messenger. It was audio only, but was pretty nice.

I've played with it a little on my phone even, and though it barely works, you
can see the potential. All I can say from it all, it would be nice if MS/IE
could play better with others.

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ulfw
It's a pity Apple didn't opensource or at release for other platforms Facetime
and iMesssages. Both are really very well integrated Audio/Video/Texting apps
that work and look better than a third-party tool like Whatsapp

~~~
k-mcgrady
At the announcement Jobs said the FaceTime protocol would be released but it
never was. I love FaceTime but locking it down to just iOS/Mac makes it so
much less useful. I can understand why they want to use it to sell more
iPhones but I wish they'd at least add a web or Windows client. It wouldn't
hurt iPhone sales, probably wouldn't effect Mac sales, and so many more people
could use FaceTime.

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rch
Is there a reason Skype and soon WhatsApp can do this, but Voice needs to
connect through a phone? I might guess antiquated taxes or, more likely deals
with carriers, because I can make calls with gmail from my laptop after all.

~~~
tracker1
I can only guess that Google likes to tie your account to a real phone number
for Voice... when I activated my Azure account (I have MSDN via work), they
required a _real_ phone number...

This may also be a regulatory request from the U.S. Govt. If you call in a
bomb threat from Voice, the gov't can track you down.

~~~
rch
I'm perfectly alright with the verification step, but it would be nice to be
able to ditch the handset from time to time.

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rawr_reptar
I'm not that surprised though. Line and KakaoTalk both implemented voice call
between users this past year. I think WeChat is working on this too.

I'd actually consider WhatsApp behind its Asian competitors in terms of
features. They also might be an indicator of what features we might see roll
out with WhatsApp.

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hnha
if only ios would allow background processes like a real computer. we could
have perfect free and open source communications via or based on xmpp.

~~~
clemsen
Actually I am quite happy that background processes are relatively restricted
on iOS. When an incoming call is received the corresponding push notification
should be fast enough. If all clients on my phone had to talk to their server
individually the battery would be empty in no time.

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untog
_When an incoming call is received the corresponding push notification should
be fast enough._

Eh, not really. You get the notification (no guaranteed delivery time), open
it up, it opens up the app, which takes a few seconds to load... before you
know it the other person is going to have hung up.

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k-mcgrady
Facebook seems to be making a play to own all our communications. If this
replaces SMS and then voice calls for people that's most communications locked
up. The only thing they are missing is email which they've tried and failed
on.

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amiune
I don't know if this is a good idea. Jerry Seinfeld is clear, nobody wants to
talk anymore
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR1ckgXN8G0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR1ckgXN8G0)
:D

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neotrinity
Need to wait and see if this service will bloat the app. Till now WhatsApp has
worked wonderfully as a connection bus between friends and relatives. Don't
know if this decision was rammed down WhatsApp's throat by FB ??

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mbesto
The reaction from the BigTelco will be interesting to say the least.

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amalag
Viber already has voice and messaging, WhatsApp just has more users.

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JTon
Network effect is important though

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adnam
Agreed, but the regulatory effect is potentially bigger. In many places
Whatsapp will not simply be able to roll out telephony services without the OK
of the local regulator. I expect them to dis-activate VOIP for many countries
initially, otherwise be a loggerheads with authorities (eventually). Will be
interesting to see what happens.

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thepumpkin1979
Maybe is going after Line and Viber, not Skype.

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adnam
That's nice, but will you be able to make free, unlimited calls to all US, UK
and Canadian mobiles + landlines, like you already can with Upptalk.com? ;)

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adnam
Which was obviously a horrific thing to say.

