The popular messaging service, WhatsApp, has been introducing some interesting new features such as the ability to send bold, italic and strikethrough messages and it is now rolling out two new features for its iOS users: callback and voicemail.

The new update carries the version number 2.16.8 and is available on the App Store. With the new update installed, you will now see that if you call someone and it gets rejected, you will now have three new options:

Cancel Call Again Voice Message

The “Cancel” button takes you back to the chat screen. The “Call Again” will, as the name implies, try to call the person you are trying to contact again and the third “Voice Message” button will record and send a recorded message to the other person’s phone.

How to Send a Voice Message?

The new update allows you to send a voice message or a voicemail if the person you are trying to contact does not answer the call. If your call is rejected you will now see an option of Voice Message on the extreme right side.

In order to use it, tap and hold onto the button to record a message. When you’re finished, just lift your finger off the screen and the message will be sent. The user on the other end will receive the voice message as a recorded voice note, just like you would regularly send it.

If the recording gets messed up or you want to cancel sending it, you can just swipe the Voice Message button to the left in order to stop the recording. Unfortunately, there is no way to listen to the recording before sending it.

How Do I Get the New Features?

iOS:

For iOS users, it is very simple. All you have to do is visit the App Store and update WhatsApp to version 2.16.8. Alternatively, you can follow this link.

Android:

The new features aren’t available as an update for regular users and they are only available for beta testing as of now. However, you can download the new update as an APK file and install it. In order to do so, follow the instructions below:

Download the APK file from this link on your Android smartphone. After it’s done downloading, make sure you have allowed your phone to install applications from Unknown Sources. Install the APK. You’ll now have the updated WhatsApp.

That’s all that you need to do to get the new features on Android. We have tested this and can confirm that the new features do work.

What are your thoughts on WhatsApp’s newest feature? Let us know in the comments below!