WhatsApp is getting a big upgrade — this can save you time

whatsapp
(Image credit: Anadolu Agency / Getty Images)

We’ve all been there with a friend that wants to leave you seemingly never-ending voice notes on WhatsApp. Fortunately, help could soon be at hand — in the form of faster playback of memos. 

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is currently testing three different playback speeds for voice messages: 1.0x, 1.5x and 2.0x. And while the feature seems to have been tested on Android first, the site claims that it’ll be along in a future iOS build, too. 

The renowned leaking team at WABetaInfo points out that this feature isn’t yet live on any of WhatsApp’s beta channels for Android or iOS. 

However, the screenshots indicate that it’s making its way out of internal testing and will appear in the coming weeks for anyone who’s opted into the beta programmes on either platform via Testflight. 

See more

Perhaps the biggest update that’s rumoured to be coming to WhatsApp is support for the iPad. 

For years, people have asked why the app isn't available on Apple's tablet — with the answer being that it's due to WhatsApp only allowing users to be signed in to one device at a time, and that your WhatsApp account has to be tied to your mobile phone number.

It is possible to access the WhatsApp web interface on the iPad via a browser (set to “desktop mode”), but that's not an ideal solution, not least because it requires you to sign in with a phone first. 

However, earlier reports from WABetaInfo indicate that a dedicated iPad app is very much on the way, as part of an update that will enable you to use WhatsApp on multiple devices simultaneously. Hopefully this one arrives sooner rather than later.

Ian has been involved in technology journalism since 2007, originally writing about AV hardware back when LCDs and plasma TVs were just gaining popularity. Nearly 15 years on, he remains as excited as ever about how tech can make your life better. Ian is the editor of T3.com but has also regularly contributed to Tom's Guide.