The Slack Chat App Rolls Out a New Voice Calling Feature

The Slack chat app was quite funny when last night it announced that voice calls would begin testing “very soon”. Immediately, the latest “Calls” function started arriving on the Slack app for PC and Chrome web browser.

It allows users to open a private call or release a conference meeting in channels where any person can be a part of with just a click. To keep up with Slack’s fun loving style, once people are communicating, they can deliver visual emoji responses that are shown overlaid on profile images to other participants on the conference.

Slack confirmed that the function is currently released to fewer than 50% of customers. Team administrators can verify if it is available and activate it. Slack already provided incorporation with voice calls applications like Google Hangouts, Skype, Zoom or Bluejeans, but these required an individual set up and were rather confusing as opposed to Slack.

Slack Calls only have to be activated by the team’s administrator, are a breeze to utilize and merge normally with the overall experience.

The company affirms that video chats are also being developed, which it initially announced in 2015 after buying Screenhero. However, now is in its operation plan, though the organization wants to release voice chats on all gadgets first.

To use the feature, people will first download the newest edition of the app for PC and ensure that the team’s administrator has activated Calls from Team Settings. They will see the phone symbol above their discussions and channel.

Tap this phone icon and the Slack Call will alert the other person with pop-up windows beckoning him to respond. Once people are in conference calls, they can adjust the mic’s settings, as opposed to Skype where they have to be changed before calls, or add other users to the chat.

Slack did not carry all emoji here, but its Smiley-face key shows a few that can be tapped to quietly let other people know your feelings. The emoji appear next to the profile photo and it is like a visible nod via the phone.

The others say things that might agree with, so you press the smile or heart  to show your approval. The members in your list will see buttons to join your text discussions, so any user available can instantly be a part of them too.

Obviously, voice calls were on top of the more requested features from Slack’s over 2 million active customers per day and 500,000 paid members. Yesterday’s client meeting and the launch of highly anticipated functions will help increase Slack’s strength as it allegedly looks to collect another $100 million.

By being a rather full-service interaction package rather than only a text discussion device, Slack will be capable to persuade more businesses to pay for them. This is especially true because companies are already spending serious dollars to use voice chats. Slack Calls might endanger Google Hangouts and Skype’s domination, which gradually feel unequipped for the current needs of their modern customers.

Image source: Google