WhatsApp is working on bringing voice message transcription to Android, a feature that has been available to iOS users for nearly a year. This new functionality will save users time by converting voice messages into text, and it’s expected to be located within the Settings > Chats menu, just like on iOS devices. The feature will also be end-to-end encrypted, ensuring user privacy.

The code in WhatsApp Beta for Android (version 2.24.7.7) suggests that enabling transcription will require a 150MB download, indicating that the feature relies on your device’s speech recognition software. Although the feature is still in its early stages and cannot be activated yet, it could potentially appear in future WhatsApp beta releases at any time.

Once this feature is rolled out, WhatsApp will be on par with competitors like Telegram and Google Messages, which already offer transcription tools on Android. It remains to be seen if there will be any limitations on the use of this feature, as some platforms restrict non-premium users to a few transcripts per week.

It will be interesting to see how WhatsApp implements this feature and whether they will follow a similar model or offer it without restrictions. This decision could impact user experience and determine how successful the feature will be in attracting new users to the platform. Stay tuned for updates on when this exciting new feature will become widely available!