WhatsApp is said to be testing a voice‑to‑text feature for Android. This feature could give WhatsApp users another way to write messages. They would not need to type or send a voice recording.
The new tool was seen in the WhatsApp beta, for Android version 2.26.37.8. WABetaInfo says the feature is still being built and has not yet been given to beta testers.
WhatsApp expects to add a microphone button to the chat bar. When WhatsApp users click it, they can speak their message. WhatsApp will then show a “Listening…” status while it processes the words.
After WhatsApp turns the speech into text, WhatsApp users can read the message. They can make any needed changes. Then send it as a normal text message.
Unlike a voice note, the person who receives the message will not get an audio file. They will only see the text that WhatsApp made from the speaker’s words. WhatsApp intends the feature to work in one‑to‑one chats, group chats and channels.
Offline Voice‑to‑Text Support
A notable part of the feature is that it might work without an internet connection. WhatsApp could use language packs that are downloaded to the device to process spoken messages.
This approach might let users speak messages when they do not have internet access as long as the correct language pack is already on their device.
The technology would use what WhatsApp already has for turning voice messages into text, which already works on the device using language packs that are downloaded.
This feature is still being tested, and many things might change before it is made available to more people. WhatsApp has not said when it will officially come out, and the way the new button looks or where it is placed might be different from what’s being tested now.
For now, the voice-to-text option seems to be for people working on Android, and there is no word yet about when or if it will be available to all users.
