According to reports, WhatsApp, the popular messaging platform under Meta, is experimenting with a new "Message Translation" feature in its Android beta version 2.25.12.25. As the name suggests, this feature allows users to translate chat messages and channel updates directly within the app.
This functionality aims to enhance cross-language communication while preserving user privacy. The translation process occurs locally on the user's device, ensuring that message data is not sent to external servers.
To use this feature, users need to download specific language packs—currently supporting Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese (Brazil), Hindi, and Russian. There’s also an optional language pack that can automatically detect the message language, which is particularly useful in multilingual group chats.
Interestingly, users can activate the translation feature for each chat through chat settings, enabling automatic translation of incoming messages. Alternatively, individual messages can be translated manually by selecting the "Translate" option.
Since translations are processed on the device, their accuracy might not match cloud-based services. However, this method ensures end-to-end encryption is maintained, keeping user data confidential. This has become especially important this year as the social media giant added a memory feature to its AI assistant "Meta AI." This feature allows the AI assistant to remember certain details shared by users during one-on-one chats on WhatsApp and Messenger.
The platform also offers users the option to provide feedback on translations to help improve the feature. However, no message content will be shared with Meta unless the user explicitly submits it. In terms of availability, the translation feature is being rolled out gradually to testers and is expected to be available to all users after the testing phase concludes.
This latest development is noteworthy because WhatsApp’s global user base has reached approximately 2.5 billion active users, with projections estimating it will grow to 3.14 billion by the end of 2025. Additionally, India remains the largest market, with over 535.8 million users.
Meanwhile, this advancement comes at a time when the social media giant is facing significant regulatory challenges. In fact, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated a historic antitrust trial against Meta, aiming to force the divestiture of WhatsApp and Instagram. The FTC argues that Meta’s acquisition of these platforms was a strategic move to eliminate competition and establish a monopoly in the personal social networking market.
