WhatsApp for Android is reportedly testing transcription feature for voice messages

WhatsApp for Android is testing a new feature that will allow users to transcribe voice messages, according to a report. It was spotted by a feature tracker in a beta version of the WhatsApp app for the Android platform. It may allow users to create transcriptions for voice messages they have sent and received. A similar feature was reportedly introduced in the WhatsApp beta for iOS a few months ago and is now set to come to the Android platform as well.

Transcription of voice messages

According to WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo, a new banner may appear below a voice transcription, asking the user if they want to receive a transcription of the voice message they sent or received. According to the information, the feature was discovered in WhatsApp for Android beta app version 2.24.15.5.

Voice message transcription feature on WhatsAppq
Photo credit: WABetaInfo

It is speculated that the feature will prove useful in situations where listening to audio recordings is not possible on the instant messaging platform. Moreover, users who exchange long voice messages may be able to understand them better if they receive a transcription. The voice message transcription feature is said to support five languages: English, Hindi, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian and Spanish.

The feature tracker claims that the option to transcribe voice messages is available to some beta testers using the latest version of WhatsApp for Android Beta through the Google Play Beta program. Gadgets 360 staff could not confirm the availability of this feature in the WhatsApp Beta for Android, but it is possible that it is slowly being rolled out to users.

Other features

WhatsApp is reportedly testing another feature – a dedicated video note mode for the camera interface. This change may bring a video note recording button in the camera UI alongside the existing video and photo options. It is said that this feature has been spotted in the beta version of WhatsApp on both Android and iOS platforms.