Viber is finally getting group calling, along with a slick new design

Instant-messaging app Viber may not be as widely used as it once was, but the company has made it a mission in the new year to change that. It announced Viber 10, a redesign of the Viber app that’s aimed at enhancing the user experience and speeding up the messaging process.

The new design is pretty radically different than the previous version of Viber, and it looks a lot more modern too. According to Viber, the focus was on implementing simple navigation of the Viber app and improving access to things like private and group chats, communities, chatbots, and so on. There’s also a new “Calls” screen where users can find their most recent calls, access contacts, and more.

For the uninitiated, Viber is essentially a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calling and messaging app that works over the web, and allows users to call and message each other no matter where they are in the world. It’s essentially a combination of WhatsApp and FaceTime, and it can be found on both Android and iOS.

The new Viber isn’t just a redesign. Viber is also giving the app a number of new features, including hidden-number chats. In these chats, Viber users can communicate with others in Viber Communities without having to exchange their phone numbers. That makes Viber a lot more like a social media network, and ensures that users remain safer while communicating online. Group Calls have also been added to Viber. Of course, this move comes shortly after Apple launched Group FaceTime — however Viber currently only supports groups of up to five, and only in voice calls, not video calls.

“The launch of Viber 10 comes after intensive user research and testing that perfects and simplifies the communication opportunities for the many people who use Viber globally,” says Djamel Agaoua, CEO of Viber. “At Viber, we are all driven by our core mission to make our product faster, simpler, and safer.”

The Viber redesign will roll out to users over the next few days. If you don’t already have Viber and want it, you can download it from Google Play or iOS.