Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- An APK teardown revealed WhatsApp is engaged on a brand new characteristic for the Android model of the app.
- The brand new characteristic would enable Android customers to transcribe voice messages.
- Voice message transcription was beforehand solely out there on the iOS app.
WhatsApp rolled out voice message transcription again in Might 2023, but it surely was solely out there to customers on iOS. It’s been nearly a yr since then, but it surely appears to be like like WhatsApp could lastly convey the characteristic over to Android quickly.
An APK teardown helps predict options that will arrive on a service sooner or later based mostly on work-in-progress code. Nonetheless, it’s attainable that such predicted options could not make it to a public launch.
In an APK teardown of WhatsApp beta model 2.24.7.7, the parents over at TheSpAndroid found strings of code that counsel a brand new characteristic is in improvement for the Android model of the app. The strings seek advice from end-to-end encrypted transcripts. Particularly, the strings of code included:
- To allow transcripts, 150MB of recent app information will likely be downloaded.
- Allow
- Learn earlier than you hear with transcripts
- “WhatsApp makes use of your gadget’s speech recognition to supply end-to-end encrypted transcripts. Be taught extra”
- Activate transcripts
It seems that earlier than the characteristic will be enabled, customers must obtain 150MB of knowledge first. The characteristic will then depend on the gadget’s speech-recognition software program to work. You’ll seemingly have the ability to discover the characteristic below Chats if you go into Settings.
Though the strings of code are there, the outlet was unable to make use of the characteristic. It’s attainable the characteristic isn’t activated but, which suggests it’s nonetheless in early improvement.
It’s unclear when WhatsApp is planning to roll out voice message transcription for Android. Nevertheless it’s vital to remember that, as with every APK teardown, there’s no assure the characteristic will ever be launched publicly.