WhatsApp enables voice-messaging for Windows Phone

Good news if you’re a fan of WhatsApp, the popular platform-agnostic messaging service that spans the world. The app, which has been receiving numerous updates in the last few months with the help of Nokia, has remotely enabled a new feature today: voice messages.

When users enter into a chat with a contact, to the left of the text window a microphone icon should now be present (see the photo above). Users can simply press and hold that icon to record a voice clip which is then sent instantly to the contact. The quality of the recording is excellent and it is certainly a welcome feature, especially with services like Voxer breathing down the necks of companies like WhatsApp.

On our Lumia 925, we don’t yet see the voice messaging icon but on our Lumia 1020, we do. So like all things that are rolling out, this could take time before it hits everyone. Regardless, you won’t need to update the app to enable this feature as it is being done so via their servers.

All in all, a pleasent surprise to what is becoming the go to messaging app for Windows Phone. Pick up WhatsApp for Windows Phone here in the Store.

Update: All Things D had an interview with Jan Koum, the company’s co-founder and CEO earlier today where the new messaging feature was revealed, making an interesting read.

Thanks, Mohamed S., Shreyas S. and the site Plaffo, for the tips!

Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.