WhatsApp tests feature to speed up playback for voice messages

WhatsApp is beta testing the option to speed up audio in voice messages received up to twice as fast, with a possibility to also slow down messages in future. — Reuters

Have friends that speak too slowly? WhatsApp is testing the option of changing the playback speed of voice messages.

Leaker site WABetaInfo reports that the feature works by tapping the speed label that will appear on a voice message, close to where the sender’s profile image is.

It added that the playback speeds available include 1.0x (normal speed), 1.5x and 2.0x. There could also be options to slow down a message in the future, though it was not yet available.

The feature is currently available for Beta users on iOS and Android.

Yesterday @WABetaInfo has announced that @WhatsApp was working on 3 different playback speeds for voice messages, on WhatsApp for Android. Today the same screenshots are taken from WhatsApp for iOS. The feature is under development. More details: https://t.co/jvq4kF2mzF pic.twitter.com/iyWnkCg3Ot — WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) March 19,2021

Separately, WABetaInfo reported that the messenger service is starting testing on WhatsApp Web Beta, which enables users to run the web app on a computer without having to keep their phone connected to the Internet.

Users joining the Beta programme will be able to connect four devices including tablets, which also includes Facebook’s own Portal video calling device.

The leaker site noted that some features were still missing, like the message deletion feature, though it was expected to be added later.

It will also require the recipients of users’ messages or calls to be using the updated versions of WhatsApp web.