Apple users get more languages as WhatsApp adds real-time translation feature

Technology firm Meta has introduced translate messages for its WhatsApp platform as a way to make conversations easier between different nationals. The development is meant to make communication smoother for billions of its WhatsApp customers worldwide.

According to WhatsApp, people can now translate text while in the same chat. The feature has been released at different levels for different operating software, with iPhone users beginning with 19 languages as compared to Android’s six. However, the tech company said more are to be expected in the coming months.

Meta explains the translation process on WhatsApp

The translation becomes active when you long press the message and click the “Translate” option and choose the preferred language. The translation tool works in a similar way to Apple’s iMessage translations.

“If you see a message in a different language, you can now simply long-press and tap ‘Translate’. Choose the language you want the message to be translated from or to, and download it to be saved for future translations,” Meta said in a statement.

Additionally, for Android owners, they have the option to set up automatic translations for an entire chat with every new message in that conversation appearing in the chosen language.

According to the company Android users will be able to translate between six languages, that is English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic. For iPhone users, they will then add Dutch, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese on top of the said six.

The social media giant further explained that the system was developed with privacy in mind as translations happen directly on people’s devices as opposed to through the company’s servers.

“Message translations were designed to protect the privacy of your chats. That is why translations occur on your device where WhatsApp cannot see them,” the company explained.

This also comes as an ex-WhatsApp employee revealed that the app posed privacy risks as it lacked basic security measures, as recently reported by Cryptopolitan.

Meta is gearing for a global audience

Meta has long pitched the app as a way to connect friends, families, and businesses across borders. The company added, “We hope this feature helps break down language barriers and allows users to connect more deeply with loved ones and communities around the globe.”

According to the company, the feature will work not just for private one-to-one chats but group conversations as well as channel updates, allowing to have a broad reach across the platform.

This initiative also puts WhatsApp in closer competition with its rivals, who already offer translation tools. These include Apple, which introduced its own version for iMessage users in 2023, and several other apps, including Google’s services provide instant translations.

Despite the stiff competition, WhatsApp enjoys an advantage from its size. Adding the feature to an app already used by billions means Meta has effectively turned translation into a mainstream service.

The company has revealed it will roll out this new feature gradually. Both Android and iPhone users will need to update their apps to see the option, while Meta will add languages in stages, with the list expanding as more are supported.

Meta currently sees this development as more of a social bridge and less as a technical upgrade.

“We’re always working to keep our users closely connected, no matter where they are in the world,” the company said.

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