The development is the latest major overhaul of the Meta-owned app after it rolled out a provision to allow users to share voice notes in their status updates early last year.
Instant messaging platform WhatsApp has unveiled a feature for users to transcribe voice messages into a readable format to enhance accessibility and convenience.
In an update by WhatsApp beta tracker WABetaInfo last Wednesday, users were notified that the new feature is encrypted in the app’s latest 2.24.15.5 version for Android, downloadable from the Google Play Store.
In addition to installing the app on their devices, users will be required to download an additional data package in their preferred language of use, with the currently available ones including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Hindi.
Transcribing voice notes enhances the accessibility of the app, as it significantly improves the user experience for those with hearing impairments. By converting voice messages into text, these users can easily engage in conversations with voice notes that they might otherwise miss,” stated WABetaInfo.
“Transcriptions are beneficial in noisy environments where listening to audio messages is complicated. Users can read the transcribed text instead, ensuring they stay informed and can respond appropriately without needing to listen to the original audio.”
The upgrade is also poised to offer convenience to users who receive lengthy voice notes, allowing them to quickly read the transcriptions instead of listening to the entire audio message.
Transcriptions will also provide a quick reference when the need arises for a later search, enabling users to find and review the content of voice notes without having to replay the audio.
According to WABetaInfo, voice transcripts will be generated on-device implying that no third parties will be able to hear the voice notes or read the transcripts.
The development is the latest major overhaul of the Meta-owned app after it rolled out a provision to allow users to share voice notes in their status updates early last year.
This marked a departure from the previous stipulation where users could only share photos, videos, written texts, and links with their contacts through the status feature.
During the three months to March this year, thousands of Kenyans ditched the use of WhatsApp in the wake of an aggressive clampdown on clone apps, thrusting sister platform Facebook to the top of the list of most used social media platforms in the country.
Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya shows that during the period, WhatsApp usage fell by 0.3 percent to 47 percent after Meta stepped up the war against clone applications like GBWhatsApp and YoWhatsApp, among others.
