If you’re a fan of WhatsApp voice notes, a new update is likely to be right up your street.
That’s because the popular messaging app has unveiled a video feature which allows users to record and send clips to friends that are up to 60 seconds long.
Mark Zuckerberg, the boss of WhatsApp’s parent company Meta, announced the move.
He said: ‘New for WhatsApp – we’re adding the ability to instantly record and share a video message in your WhatsApp chats. It’s as easy as sending a quick voice message.’
In a blog post, the company added: ‘We think these will be a fun way to share moments with all the emotion that comes from video, whether it’s wishing someone a happy birthday, laughing at a joke, or bringing good news.’
Update: WhatsApp has unveiled a new video feature which allows users to record and send clips to friends that are up to 60 seconds long (pictured)
Like all written message and voice notes, the video messages will be protected by the app’s end-to-end encryption service.
WhatsApp said the new update was currently being rolled out to users across thre world and would be available to everyone in the coming weeks.
‘Voice messages on WhatsApp changed the way people communicate by providing a quick and secure way to share your voice,’ the company said in a blog post announcing the update.
‘We’re excited to build on this feature with new instant video messages. Now you can record and share short personal videos directly in the chat.
‘Video messages are a real-time way to respond to chats with whatever you want to say and show in 60 seconds.’
Sending a video message will work in a similar way to a voice message, where users currently hold the microphone icon in the bottom right of chat.
With the new update, tapping on this icon turns it into a video camera icon and to record users simply have to hold it down.
They can also swipe up to lock and record the video hands-free.
The feature will allow users to send their friends short videos of up to one minute long (stock image)
Videos will play automatically on mute when opened in a chat, and tapping on the video will start the sound, WhatsApp said.
The news comes shortly after Apple confirmed a new feature in the iOS 17 update that will automatically transcribe voice notes and voicemails.
The tech giant revealed the feature at this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) and said it will be available in iOS 17, which is coming to iPhones this September.
The new feature automatically converts incoming voice messages to text as they’re being spoken by the sender.
