WhatsApp may soon rollout consecutive voice messages, group call shortcut

Adding to a myriad of new features, WhatsApp is now reportedly working on two new features — consecutive voice messages, and a group call shortcut. First reported by WABetaInfo, the feature was spotted on WhatsApp’s Android beta versions 2.18.362 and 2.18.363. Which means the features are currently only available for beta testers of the app for now. Notably, these features have also been spotted on the iOS beta version of WhatsApp. [caption id=“attachment_5022761” align=“alignnone” width=“1024”] WhatsApp for Android. Image: tech2/ Shomik Sen Bhattacharjee[/caption]

Consecutive Voice Message

The first of the two features being tested is the Consecutive Voice Message, which was seen in the beta version 2.18.362, that basically allows users to play consecutive voice messages one after the other. The feature works when WhatsApp detects two or more voice messages lined up back to back, so that, when you press play on the first audio, WhatsApp will automatically play all the other voice messages in a sequence. As of now, if you get, say three voice notes in one a chat, you have to hit play on one voice note, hear it, and then hit play on the next one, and so on. (Also read: WhatsApp is testing video preview in the iOS notification bar: Report )

Group Call shortcut

The second is essentially a UI change to the group calling feature on the app. Basically, when this feature rolls out, you will start to see a calling icon on your group chats, to directly dial in all the group members in the call.