Facebook-owned WhatsApp now has over a billion users and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. They have added a couple of new features that’ll help draw more users. The much-anticipated voice mail feature was released for Android.
The feature appears when you call someone, and it’s either not picked or rejected by the recipient. A menu pops up with three options – you can either ‘Cancel’, ‘Call Back’, or leave a ‘Voice Message’. The info on the update reads: “When placing a WhatsApp call, you now quickly leave a voice message if your call isn’t answered, just like voicemail.”
Presently Whatsapp version 2.16.8 on iOS and WhatsApp version 2.16.229 on Android, has got the voice mail feature. For users who haven’t received the update WhatsApp version 2.16.189 beta is available as an APK file. Navigate to the location where the WhatsApp APK is saved. Tap on the file and install it. To verify go to Settings > About and help > About.
WhatsApp is the most popular messaging application that uses the Internet to send text messages, documents, images, video, user location and audio messages to other users using standard cellular mobile numbers. At the wake of the row between FBI and Apple over the privacy of individual phone users, WhatsApp introduced end-to-end encryption on all platforms. Whatsapp said, “when you send a message, the only person who can read it is the person or group chat that you send that message to. No one can see inside that message. Not cyber criminals. Not hackers. Not oppressive regimes. Not even us. End-to-end encryption helps make communication via WhatsApp private – sort of like a face-to-face conversation.”
This has brought relief to common folks, journalists, dissidents and such. But has also imposed challenges to law enforcement around the world. In past, federal investigators in criminal investigations have faced frustrated rows wFacebook-owned Whatsapp but unlike Apple, they’ve never had to face court.
