WhatsApp Rolls Out Picture-in-Picture Mode for Video Calls on iOS

WhatsApp for iOS is receiving an update that will allow iPhone owners to multitask on their phone while on a video call. Unlike the Android version of the app, which has supported multi-tasking while on video calls for ages, WhatsApp for iOS would pause a user’s video stream when the app was minimised or the user switched to another app. Now, iPhone users will see a floating picture-in-picture (PiP) window with a minimised version of the window, allowing them to access other apps on a video call.

The popular messaging service announced that it was adding support for the PiP feature on iOS via the release notes for the latest stable version on the App Store. “With support for iOS Picture in Picture (PiP), you can now multitask during a WhatsApp call without your video being paused,” the changelog reads. Gadgets 360 was able to confirm that the feature was enabled on two iPhone models after updating to WhatsApp for iOS 23.3.77.

It is worth noting that Apple added support for PiP mode in 2020 with the release of iOS 14, while Google added support back in 2017, when it rolled out Android 8, popularly known as Android Oreo. Third-party Android apps have received support for PiP mode faster than their iOS counterparts — YouTube users on iOS were finally able to minimise video playback to a floating window in the second half of 2022. 

Meanwhile, the update also adds support for captions while sending documents on WhatsApp for iOS. The app previously allowed users to add captions to images and video, and users can now add context to documents while sharing them.  

Users on iOS will also be able to enter longer subjects and descriptions for group chats, after updating to the latest version of WhatsApp. The company rolled out these improvements to the Android version of the app earlier this week — along with the ability to share 100 images or videos at a time, which doesn’t appear to be included as part of the latest update or iOS.   

WhatsApp also states that users can create avatars as stickers and their profile photo, but it is worth noting that the company first announced the rollout of this feature, along with support for 36 customisable stickers based on user-generated avatars, in December.