WhatsApp on iOS Gets Voice Notes For Status Updates

WhatsApp is rolling out voice status messages for iOS users. The Meta-owned instant messaging service has released the feature, which allows users to post voice notes as status updates, exclusively for Apple users.

The company has been on a spree of adding new features for the Status feature on Android smartphones. Android users have the ability to react and choose a private audience. The voice message status, however, is exclusive to iOS.

Once the update is installed, WhatsApp users on iOS can add a voice note as a status message.

To do this, iOS users need to tap on "Status" at the top right corner of the screen. There would be a new option called "Voice Notes". Select this option, and record a message as you would when sending a voice note in a chat.

Voice notes can be recorded for only up to 30 seconds. You can play back the message before posting it. To share the voice note, tap on "Share" for everyone to hear it.

The Voice Status feature adds a personalized touch to the user's WhatsApp persona. While not everyone is fluent in writing cool one-liners, most can easily express their thoughts with speech. Users on iOS now have another creative outlet to express themselves while sharing their lives on the app.

The company has been testing the feature for both iOS and Android in beta since January. So it's likely that it will come to Android users as well. The voice notes shared as status are end-to-end encrypted. The messages disappear after 24 hours, as with images, videos, and text status messages.

Voice Notes have an additional option to Delete For Everyone after they have been posted as status messages.