3,2,1… Self-destructing voice message feature coming to WhatsApp
007 Whatsapp: Part James Bond, part Mission Impossible
Ethan Hunt is running over the Grand Bazaar, gunshots and screams from behind… Then he hears a notification on his phone. As he somersaults in the air, he takes the phone out of his jacket pocket and looks at the screen, a voice message from WhatsApp! He presses play and a text appears: “Your mission, if you accept it. This message will self-destruct in five seconds…” (Mission Impossible theme music plays)
Okay, we may have exaggerated a bit, but soon WhatsApp will indeed introduce a feature like this. According to WaBetaInfo, the company is currently rolling out a “view once” mode for voice messages.
This feature works exactly as you’d expect: When recording a voice message, a new “view once” icon will be available in the chat bar. By tapping this icon, you will be able to activate the “view once” mode for your voice recording. As a result, the person receiving the message will only be able to listen to it once. They will also not have the option to export, forward, save or screen record this message. Even you won’t be able to listen to this audio recording again after sending it.
To see the icon, you’ll first need to start recording a voice message with a tap and then pull your finger upwards. The feature is currently only available for some beta testers on iOS and Android, but WaBetaInfo says it will roll out to more users in the coming days.
WhatsApp seems to be in the midst of a complete overhaul lately. The app recently launched its ‘Channels’ feature and announced a dedicated version for iPad. The company also recently launched an HD setting for sending photos and videos, as well as an AI sticker maker.
