After a year of it coming to iOS, WhatsApp on Android might finally be about to receive voice message transcriptions, TheSpAndroid reports. TheSpAndroid, during one of its deep dives into an APK, found some strings to suggest the feature was in development. The strings mention voice message transcripts and define what that means. There’s also talk of needing to download 150 MBs of “new app data”.
What does this feature do?
WhatsApp transcripts, available on iOS since May of 2023, transcribe voice messages users send. This happens using the phone’s speech recognition feature. For example, for it to work on iOS, users need the “Hey Siri” wakeup call to be enabled. What this does is listen to a voice message, and then output a written version of it to the best of its abilities.
This transcript is, like everything else on WhatsApp, end-to-end encrypted. Voice message transcripts allow users to read what they are about to hear before pressing play. It also helps when users are in an area where they cannot play back a voice message. There are a few limits, of course. For starters, it might not always be completely accurate. Secondly, it only automatically happens if the message is under two minutes long. Otherwise, users have to manually request a transcription. WhatsApp transcription also doesn’t support some languages. And, understandably, background noise can impact how well it functions.
Hints to WhatsApp transcription on Android
The strings found by TheSpAndroid are just that; strings. No actual code enabling this feature could be found. Though, as WhatsApp transcription already exists on iOS, it shouldn’t take that long to port it to Android. Why it took this long in the first place is unknown. Especially as WhatsApp has been hard at work releasing new features every couple of months for both operating systems.
Voice message transcription isn’t something new. The rival messaging app Telegram, often touted as a better alternative, also has voice transcription. However, Telegram only allows unlimited use of this feature to users who pay. Other than Telegram, Google Messages also has voice message transcription. WhatsApp transcription on Android will finally put the Android version on a more equal footing with the rest of its competitors.
As noted by TheSpAndroid, this feature will probably be accessible the same way on iOS. That is, under Settings > Chats. In addition to the latest updates, WhatsApp transcription on Android will greatly enhance the user experience.
2024-03-20 15:07:02