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Popular Messaging App WhatsApp Adding One-Tap Voice Messaging

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MacRumors

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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whatsapp.jpg
Popular messaging app WhatsApp Messenger is being updated with one-tap voice messaging, allowing users who have difficult-to-type languages to communicate with each other across various platforms.

WhatsApp has been working on the feature for about six months, wanting to make voice messaging simpler and easier to use than other apps with the functionality, CEO Jan Koum told AllThingsD in an interview.
With the updated WhatsApp, a user pushes to record a message rather than type one. When she lets go, the message sends. If she decides not to send, she swipes to the left and the recording is deleted. All that is built into a single tap.
Click to expand...
Other perks of the new voice messaging feature include no length limit on recorded messages and volume controls that automatically adjust based on ambient influences. For example, when listening to a voice message, the volume will fluctuate based on how close a device is to the user's ear. In addition, a blue microphone illustration notifies the sender when a voice message has been heard.

whatsappvoice.png
Koum says the new voice messaging feature is beneficial to users who speak complicated languages, like Russian with its 33-letter alphabet, because those languages are more difficult to type on a small touchscreen. Instead, those users can opt for more simple voice messages to communicate with each other.

WhatsApp Messenger was just updated in mid-July, turning the $0.99 app into a free app with a $1-a-year subscription. WhatsApp Messenger for iPhone is available in the App Store for free, although the update with voice messaging has yet to go live. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Popular Messaging App WhatsApp Adding One-Tap Voice Messaging
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/08/07/popular-messaging-app-whatsapp-adding-one-tap-voice-messaging/
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nicho

macrumors 601
Feb 15, 2008
4,216
3,210
already live

i noticed this appear out of the blue on my iphone in the last few days despite no app update - i think it may have been in the last one already and is now being rolled out on the server somehow?

[edit: i'm in the UK btw]
 
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iPusch

iPusch

macrumors 6502
May 30, 2012
379
0
Manhattan, New York
nicho said:
i noticed this appear out of the blue on my iphone in the last few days despite no app update - i think it may have been in the last one already and is now being rolled out on the server somehow?

[edit: i'm in the UK btw]
Click to expand...

hahahaha ↱ updated: edit useful info↰
it's somehow making me laugh :'))
:)
 
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A

afawcett

macrumors regular
Feb 23, 2010
129
10
San Diego
nicho said:
i noticed this appear out of the blue on my iphone in the last few days despite no app update - i think it may have been in the last one already and is now being rolled out on the server somehow?

[edit: i'm in the UK btw]
Click to expand...

I saw and used this yesterday, no app update either. I'm in California.
 
T

thmsup

macrumors member
May 10, 2013
77
128
THey worked half a year on this solution? ... i dont have it yet, but from what i just read, it sounds like its working exactly the way the facebook messenger app.
 
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nikicampos

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2011
818
330
What an intrusive option, doesn't give you the option to review you voice message, you have to keep on holding the button to record.

I've always hated Whatsapp and they are taking out the good things and adding new useless stuff.

Can't wait for BlackBerry Messenger for iPhone in the next month or so, simply the best messaging app.
 
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nikicampos

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2011
818
330
jent said:
Out of curiosity, what have they taken out?
Click to expand...

Nothing, well, in a way, when the app wasn't in use, but open in a conversation, the "send" button was always on, now it's the microphone button, once you start typing the "send" button takes the place of the microphone button.

EDIT: You meant before, well, the ability to lock portrait orientation within the app, they also took the ability to choose auto-download for images and videos, now all pictures and videos get downloaded automatically (not if you had the app before that update) but if you delete the app and re-download it will not give you the option.

Also, that "last seen timestamp" doesn't work, people with android and some iPhones can still see the last time I was online.
 
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milhouse994

milhouse994

macrumors regular
Apr 8, 2010
141
32
Vancouver, WA
I'm interested to try this out. I'm using Voxer on a daily basis to communicate with my family and friends back in England and I'm so fed up with it's buggy nature. Plus, the app on the iPhone hasn't added practically any functionality in almost a year,despite a revamp of the Android version.
 
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C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
milhouse994 said:
I'm interested to try this out. I'm using Voxer on a daily basis to communicate with my family and friends back in England and I'm so fed up with it's buggy nature. Plus, the app on the iPhone hasn't added practically any functionality in almost a year,despite a revamp of the Android version.
Click to expand...
Have you tried some other apps as well, like Viber?
 
milhouse994

milhouse994

macrumors regular
Apr 8, 2010
141
32
Vancouver, WA
C DM said:
Have you tried some other apps as well, like Viber?
Click to expand...

Not sure if I've tried Viber but I tried some of the other apps a while back and I found Voxer, even with it's flaws was the best of the bunch. Perhaps that's changed though. Would you recommend Viber?
 
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C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
milhouse994 said:
Not sure if I've tried Viber but I tried some of the other apps a while back and I found Voxer, even with it's flaws was the best of the bunch. Perhaps that's changed though. Would you recommend Viber?
Click to expand...
I haven't used it much myself, but based on quite a few people mentioning it in various places over the past year or so it seems like a fairly stable and good service for things of this nature.

Also, I believe even Skype recently added voice messaging as well, so it seems like it can be an alternative for these kinds of things as well.
 
eXan

eXan

macrumors 601
Jan 10, 2005
4,731
63
Russia
MacRumors said:
Koum says the new voice messaging feature is beneficial to users who speak complicated languages, like Russian with its 33-letter alphabet, because those languages are more difficult to type on a small touchscreen.
Click to expand...

LOL this is good.

btw, the feature has gone live a couple of days ago here (russia)
 
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lk400

macrumors 65816
Aug 26, 2012
1,049
626
"WhatsApp has been working on the feature for about six months"

Really? It took 6 months to work on a feature that allows you to send short clips of your voice - push a button, speak, and that short clip sends? How on earth does it take 6 months to come up with that?

"With the updated WhatsApp, a user pushes to record a message rather than type one. When she lets go, the message sends. If she decides not to send, she swipes to the left and the recording is deleted. All that is built into a single tap"

This kind of trying to talk like Apple marketing, making the smallest thing sound huge has just got to stop. Its embarrassing enough when Apple do it about small features on their new devices, but to talk up a "send voice clip" feature like this, and about having all that amazingness " built into a single tap"... I mean where else is it going to be "built in"? 2 taps? A swipe? Standing on your head in the corner of the room chanting whatsapp 3 times backwards?
 
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Tim098

macrumors newbie
Apr 27, 2013
29
0
milhouse994 said:
Not sure if I've tried Viber but I tried some of the other apps a while back and I found Voxer, even with it's flaws was the best of the bunch. Perhaps that's changed though. Would you recommend Viber?
Click to expand...

I would recommend Viber. I still use Whatsapp primarily to communicate with my Android using friends, but the plus points of Viber are 1. VoIP calling (That was the original use of the app), 2. Sync across devices.

Point number 2 is the biggest thing for me. I wish Whatsapp does this soon. I use iMessage on my iPhone very often, and the convenience of being able to begin a conversation on my phone and end it on my mac, without having to worry about duplicate notifications or whatever is really good. Doesn't sound like much but once I experienced it I can't settle for any other.

Also, when I had a 3GS (forgot which year it was but it was some years back), viber was already around. Maintenance of the app isn't an issue.
 
sand_man

sand_man

macrumors 6502a
Jun 3, 2011
642
113
Johannesburg, South Africa
Very handy feature indeed. Very similar in design and function to WeChat's audio message feature.

I think what defines instant messengers is their adoption rate. WhatsApp seems to have accumulated a massive following.

One has to be careful with voice messages though. Sometimes the content can be inappropriate for the recipients current environment. :eek:
 
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