Advertisement
WhatsApp is trying out a new feature that works a lot like voicemail. If you call someone and they don’t answer, you’ll soon have the option to leave them a quick voice message right from the call screen.
The feature, spotted in the latest Android beta by WABetaInfo, is only available to a small group of testers for now. When a call goes unanswered, a new “Record voice message” button appears alongside the usual “Call again” and “Cancel” options. Tapping it lets you instantly record and send a message, without switching back to the chat window.
The difference from regular voice notes is that this tool only shows up after a missed call. The recording is then delivered straight into the chat along with the missed call notification, making it easier for the other person to notice and reply later.
It’s meant to make follow-ups smoother, especially when something important needs to be said but the person you’re calling isn’t available.
At this stage, the feature is only in WhatsApp’s Android beta and hasn’t appeared on iOS yet. There’s also no timeline on when or if it will be rolled out to all users.
This experiment comes shortly after WhatsApp was also seen testing a reminders option to nudge people to return missed calls. Together, these updates show that the app is putting more focus on improving its calling experience, even as many users still prefer to rely on text chats.