WhatsApp introduces real-time message translation for global chats
9:39 AM EDT, July 18, 2024
WhatsApp is working on a new feature for its messaging app. The application will soon be able to translate messages, practically allowing for real-time conversations with users who do not share a common language. WhatsApp will even support automatic translation of messages on the fly.
WhatsApp will soon be able to translate messages in conversations, notes WABetaInfo. According to one of the latest releases of WhatsApp Beta, users who receive messages in a language different from their own can translate them directly into the conversation window, either translating a single message or enabling automatic translation of all messages in the chat.
This feature will allow conversations with people who do not speak the same language, as their messages will appear translated in real-time. The first translation will require downloading a dictionary. For example, according to a shared screenshot, translating from Spanish to English will require over 75 MB of data.
It is unclear which languages will be available for translation when the new feature is released. WABetaInfo mentions English, Spanish, and Russian, excluding German or French. However likely, adding more languages will only be a matter of time.
The feature is already preliminarily available to Android-based WhatsApp testers. It will likely reach all users in the coming weeks, or at most, in the coming months. WhatsApp is dynamically updated, so the translation feature can be expected to become functional promptly.
