Video calling is coming soon to encrypted messaging app Signal

Why it matters to you

Soon Signal users will be able to video chat as users of other popular communication apps already do — only more securely.

Video calling is a must for any messaging app that looking to stay relevant in the battle for users. Signal, a chat service known for its commitment to privacy, is now testing the feature in the beta version of its Android app.

The Signal beta is available to users via the Google Play store, provided they opt in first. Video calling is experimental and must be enabled from the “Advanced” submenu located inside the app’s settings. Users who would like to attempt a video call both need to have the beta installed, and video calling turned on. The notes for the latest release mention the functionality is on its way to the next beta for iPhone as well.

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Enabling video calls also reportedly switches on Signal’s next-generation voice calling feature. Voice calling already exists within the standard Signal app available to the public. However, the scant information provided by the changelog doesn’t detail what enhancements have been made to the feature in the beta.

Signal made a name for itself through the end-to-end encryption of its text messages, though the app’s developer, Open Whisper Systems, has had to add more mainstream features like GIF search and stickers to retain users. Signal faces increasing competition from the likes of Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Google’s suite of communication services, all of which feature video calling.

WhatsApp previously worked with Open Whisper Systems to develop its own form of end-to-end encryption, which it rolled out last year. Facebook-owned WhatsApp boasts exponentially more users than Signal, likely because it retains an emphasis on social features like location sharing. Signal’s privacy-first ambitions are somewhat at odds with many of the features mainstream users expect and want out of a communications platform, presenting a bit of a catch-22 for the service. Still, the introduction of video calling could go a long way toward keeping and attracting users — especially if Open Whisper has figured out a more secure way to do it than anyone else has.