WhatsApp now lets you leave voice messages

WhatsApp has just received a new update this morning enhancement in the form of ability to leave other people voice messages on the service. “When placing a WhatsApp call, you now quickly leave a voice message if your call isn’t answered, just like voicemail,” read release notes accompanying WhatsApp’s 2.16.8 update on the App Store. Since enabling Voice over IP (VoIP) calling a year ago, more than 100 million voice calls are made on average every day via WhatsApp, or more than 1,100 VoIP calls a second.

iOS 10 offers a new application programming interface (API) for VoIP apps like Skype, Viber, WhatsApp and others. These APIs let VoIP calls on an iPhone behave more like regular phone calls with features like voicemail transcriptions, the caller’s contact image taking up the whole Lock screen (as shown top of post), ability to access the Phone app’s Recents and Favorites and more.

VoIP calls on iOS 10 also offer standard Remind Me and Message options on the calling screen, with relevant information from third-party VoIP apps now allowed to be nested inside people cards in Contacts.

And since iOS 10’s Phone app is now a platform, users can now install apps from the App Store that will alert you on the calling screen if an incoming phone call has been identified as a possible spam.

The new update is available for free, grab it from the App Store.