WhatsApp: Voice messages to become readable soon

While WhatsApp used to be used purely as a chat service for texts, the trend of using voice messages has prevailed for quite some time. Now, a new feature is supposed to make it more bearable for even those who dislike spoken messages to take note of them. WhatsApp plans it namely to introduce a transcription, with whose help one can read voice messages no longer only listen to, but also.

Optional feature

If information from “WABetaInfo” is to be believed, Messenger is said to be working on a feature that will turn spoken words into text. Currently, they are probably already working on a suitable version for iOS. A beta for testing is to follow soon. Data protection is to be taken into account by not allowing voice messages to reach WhatsApp’s or Facebook’s servers in the first place. Instead, everything will be handled via Apple’s services, at least on iOS devices. When the new feature will be introduced is not yet known.

First tests successful

WhatsApp itself will not rush headlong into the new feature with its beta. In order to keep the drop height as low as possible, those responsible have namely already tested their new feature a few months ago. This also emerges from the statements of WABetaInfo. Since the Twitter user has regularly made valid statements about the probably most popular Messenger service in the past years as well, one can probably trust this time as well.

WABetaInfo has also already revealed some more precise details. If there is a will to transcribe, the user would probably have to give his authorization first. Once this is done, the feature can be used immediately. To do this, you use the “Transcript” section within the voicemail. This newly added sub-item should not only enable transcription, but also make it possible to say at different timestamps within the voicemail.

Responding to a user request

WhatsApp’s new feature is no accident. Instead, WABetaInfo has further explained that the messenger’s developers are using it to respond to several user requests. After WhatsApp opened the possibility to play voice messages faster, users immediately requested the transcription feature. Until now, those who wanted to use a transcription of voice messages had to use third-party apps. However, it should be much less of a hassle if WhatsApp offers the option out of the box. In any case, we are already looking forward to the new feature.