WhatsApp has introduced new features for audio messages.
The voice message feature started out in 2013 and has been welcomed with open arms by users.
Some of the new features were already present for iOS users. But they are now being rolled out for Android too.
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Privacy Protection
WhatsApp says that on average users send 7 billion voice messages daily, hence necessitating new features.
It also assured that these messages are protected by end to end encryption to keep them private and secure at all times.
Out of Chat Playback
Users will be able to listen to a voice message outside the chat.
This will allow them to multitask or read and respond to other messages with the audio playing in the background.
Pause/Resume Recording
When recording a voice message, users can pause the recording and resume when ready.
This should come into use in case you are interrupted while recording a message.
Waveform Visualisation
This gives a visual representation of the sound on the voice message to help follow the recording.
It gives an indication of how long the message is.
Draft Preview
This allows users to save a draft and listen to the voice message before sending them.
Remember Playback
If the user pauses the voice message, they can pick up where they left off when they return to the chat.
Fast Playback on Forwarded Messages
Users can speed up the voice messages by 1.5x or 2x to listen to messages faster.
This now applies to both regular and forwarded messages.
Timeline
These features will roll out in the coming weeks for all users.
In order to enjoy them, it is advisable to update to the latest version of the app.