WhatsApp introduces voice notes as status updates
WhatsApp on Tuesday announced a new feature that will allow one to set voice notes as status updates.
The new feature will enable users to record and share voice messages of up to 30 seconds as status updates.
Users will get the option to record voice notes by tapping the microphone icon on the status screen.
It provides a more personal touch to status updates and is a convenient option for those who prefer not to type or use graphics.
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Last month, WhatsApp tested its voice status feature with its Android and iOS beta testers.
WhatsApp first introduced statuses in 2017; so far, photos, videos, GIFs and texts have been included as possibilities.
The new voice feature is being added as voice messages have become a more popular feature on the app. In March last year, the company declared that 7 billion voice messages were being sent daily.
In addition, WhatsApp is building on statuses by allowing status reactions, just as the company launched message reactions last year.
There will also be the option to choose your audience for statuses, so not all contacts are privy to such posts. The audience selection can be saved and used for all subsequent statuses.
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The Meta-owned messaging platform’s new features for your status updates aim to make it a more secure and customisable offering.
Other new features include an audience selector, status reactions for quick responses, status profile rings, and link previews for more visual status updates.
“Status” on WhatsApp works the same way Stories work on Instagram or literally any other platform at this point. After 24 hours of being posted, the status disappears from your WhatsApp.
In a press release, WhatsApp claimed that WhatsApp Status is protected by end-to-end encryption, just like calls and messages.
End-to-end encryption ensures that only the sender and the recipient can read the messages. This has made it a popular choice for people who want to keep their communications private.
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