WhatsApp is developing a new voice-to-text feature for Android that could make sending messages quicker. The upcoming tool will allow users to speak their message and send it as written text instead of recording and sending a voice note.
According to WABetaInfo, the feature was discovered in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.37.8, and currently under progress.
WhatsApp plans to add a new feature of voice-to-text button inside the chat bar.
How to set up the new feature?
When users activate the feature for the first time, WhatsApp is expected to show a short introduction and ask them to select their preferred language.
Once the setup is complete, users will be able to press the new button and begin speaking. The chat bar will display a “Listening…” message while the app processes the speech. After the spoken words are converted into text, users will be able to review the message before pressing the Send button. They will also have the option to cancel the process before sending anything.
The feature is expected to work across individual conversations, group chats and WhatsApp channels.
The recipient will not receive the original audio recording. Instead, they will receive a normal text message containing the converted speech. WhatsApp is also not expected to label the message as having been created through voice dictation.
Moreover, the feature also includes offline processing. WhatsApp plans to use locally downloaded languages to convert speech into text directly on the user’s device. Once the required language has been downloaded, voice-to-text detection should work without an active internet connection.
However, WhatsApp has not announced an official release date of the feature. It is therefore not yet confirmed when or whether the voice-to-text feature will become available to all Android users.