Hope is coming for those with busy group chats in a language they haven’t learned yet.
WhatsApp has started rolling out a new feature allowing translation, which could finally bring an end to having to copy and paste every message into Google Translate before getting the joke.
In-app translation has appeared for some Android users in beta testing, meaning it’s likely on the horizon for the rest of us too.
For now, only a handful of languages are supported, but you’re in luck if you(don’t) speak English, Hindi, Russian, Spanish, Arabic or Brazilian Portugese.
Direct translation has been available for years on Instagram, which is also owned by Meta.
But it’s not as simple to implement on WhatsApp, because messages are end-to-end encrypted.
This means that messages cannot be sent to a cloud-based translation service, to ensure the highest level of privacy is maintained.
Would you find WhatsApp translation helpful?
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No, I never felt like I needed it
With this in mind, users will first need to download a language pack to their phone.
The translations given may not be as sophisticated as those using internet services, but should at least give you a general gist of what’s happening.
This could be very welcome for the millions of people married to someone from another country, who can finally fully participate in chats with in-laws even if they’re not yet bilingual.
Even if that’s not you, it’s set to make communication in general much easier, such as when travelling abroad on holiday, or when moving to a new country.
The door is wide open for holiday romances and penpals too, so go wild.
First reported by WeBetaInfo, which reliably tracks emerging features on the Meta messaging app, the translation option will need to be switched on first by users, rather than being available automatically.
It was spotted in the Android 2.25.12.25 update on the Google Play Store, and was first reported as being in development last year.
Users can either opt to have messages translated automatically, or have a button to quickly translate individual messages.
More languages are expected to be added in future, and the option will gradually roll out to more users.
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