WhatsApp reportedly extended a call waiting feature to Android devices, a little more than a week after offering the option to those on iOS smartphones, in response to user requests.

In an update, the company added the option for users to be informed of incoming calls while already using WhatsApp to talk, enabling them to stay on the current call or end it in favour of the new one.

Previously incoming calls were automatically rejected if a user was already using the app to speak.

WhatsApp enabled the function for iOS users at end-November, with Android now added as part of a broader update of the app currently being deployed.

Privacy changes are also incorporated in the updgrade, including the ability for users to control who can add them a group chat, along with the introduction of biometric security to open the app.

Voice calls were introduced in WhatsApp in February 2015, followed by a video calling feature in November 2016. In July 2018, the company announced users spent more than 2 billion minutes on voice and video calls per day.

Last month, WhatsApp was upgraded with a feature enabling businesses to create new product catalogue pages.