There have been rumors about WhatsApp upping its game to better compete with Zoom and Skype. What these two big names in video conferencing have in their favor is the number of people they allow to take part in chats.

For the longest time, WhatsApp has only offered support for up to four chat participants. However, hints that this will increase in the iOS version of the app have recently circulated online. Now that this update has been out, it is clear that not only iPhone users but also Android users can chat with more people.

WABetaInfo spotted the recent change. The app's latest beta version means both iOS and Android users will now be able to chat with up to eight participants at once, instead of the usual three.

With Skype now allowing a maximum of 50 people in a group chat while Zoom supports up to 100, WhatsApp is still far from innovative. However, the recent update is still useful and makes the app more versatile.

The more the merrier? WhatsApp rolls-out updates increasing group chatters 

To be able to enjoy the recent update, all participants of a chat need to have their phones running at least version 2.20.133 of the Android app or version 2.20.50.25 on iOS. This will allow group audio and video with up to eight people.

However, it is possible that even if these versions are installed, the group chat is still limited to four participants since the new update is being applied gradually. Meanwhile, making a group call is as simple as tapping the call button, then choosing a new group call and selecting the call participants.

Aside from the increases in group chat participants, other features have also been added to the latest beta version of the app. These include advanced search, password-protected backups, and automatic download rules.

For now, some pieces of evidence show these features are likely to be provided for Android users while iOS Advanced Search already runs in WhatsApp beta for iOS 2.20.30.25. Advanced Search is particularly useful for those with a huge archive of messages. The feature allows text-based search for photos, audio, links, GIFs, video, and even documents.

Also, the latest beta version of the Android app will have new automatic download rules. The feature is still being developed, but when done, "frequently forwarded images, videos, documents, and voice messages will be never automatically downloaded from WhatsApp". This option will now be the default.

Meanwhile, it is now possible to backup WhatsApp messages to Google Drive, but the update will allow users to add a password to prevent unauthorized access. The password is different from Facebook or WhatsApp, which reduces the risk of being hacked. However, users may lose access to their backup if they forget their password.

While these features are not yet functional, users of the beta version of the app will have the chance to try it out first. Currently, the maximum number of test users is already reached, so WhatsApp is no longer accepting new testers for its beta version.

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