The cross-platform encrypted instant messaging app Signal will now allow up to 40 users in a single group video call according to the recent reports. The platform will still offer end-to-end encrypted communication despite the fact that the number of users will be increased. It was informed by Signal that the app will use a “Selective Forwarding” technology that allows calls to go through servers that forward the contents of the call to other participants which doesn’t hinder the privacy of the people participating in the group video call. The feature is currently in the process of rolling out on Android and iOS devices.
Signal’s Video Calls and Other Platforms
In a blog post published by Signal, it was stated that the entity launched group calls using a modified version of them but soon it was discovered that despite the number of modifications are made, it was very difficult to accommodate more than 8 participants in a single video call without getting a very heavy load on the CPU. To solve this issue and include more users in a single group video call, the messaging platform wrote a new Selective Forwarding Unit (SFU) from scratch in Rust. It has been serving Signal group calls for 9 months now and can hold up to 40 participants at once and the company expects to expand its capacity further in the future.
Talking about the other platforms, WhatsApp has been constantly bringing in new features to its video calls with the regular updates rolling out on the app. However, when it comes to group video calls, the messaging platform still supports only 8 participants at once. Users can call a WhatsApp group and join in the call from the group chat window. Telegram on the other hand, in July 2021, enabled the feature where 1000 participants could join in on a group video call. Users can also share screens on one-on-one calls on their devices when broadcasting in any video call.
Signal reached its height of popularity in India earlier this year when WhatsApp struggled with its terms and conditions policies. It is to be noted that for a brief period of time Signal also became the number one app in India on Google Play Store. Users can relay their voice calls on Signal allowing them to hide their identities from their contacts much like a VPN.
