WhatsApp rolling out voice calling feature

WhatsApp users may soon get voice calling from their favorite messaging app, tech sites reported over the weekend.

Makers of the app are now rolling out the free voice calling feature, though users of Android devices may get first crack at it, The Hacker News said.

But users on Reddit said the new feature is via "invite" for now, and interested users may have to get the software from the website and not yet from Google Play.

"Its like an invite thing, where a person with the call feature needs to 'call' another person who wants to start using the feature. You need to get the apk from the website and not from the Play Store," said Reddit user pradnesh07.

Also, the Reddit user said the guy who sent him/her the invite confirmed that it works on other phones on other roms and other OS and in other countries.

The Hacker News added the free voice calling feature is similar to other instant messaging apps like Skype and Viber.

THN added the Reddit user also noted the WhatsApp free voice calling feature only appears to work for a Google Nexus 5 phone running the latest Android 5.0.1 Lollipop.

"So far, it's not clear how many WhatsApp users have access to the updated user interface with free voice calling feature," it said.  — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News