WhatsApp to Roll Out Global Media Player Just as Globally

Voice messages are easy to record and listen to, but it can be a headache to listen to one when the situation isn’t right. With Global Media Player introduced by WhatsApp, though, it can become easier, because it enables the app to play the message while in the background. Now WhatsApp starts to roll this feature to all of its users, regardless of the platform.

The main feature of Global Media Player is its ability to play messages without the necessity to keep that chat open. You can switch to another chat and keep on listening to it. This makes communication more productive, especially if you have simultaneous urgent chats. The player itself will be quite minimal, with a progress bar and one combined play/pause button. There is also a button that shows the profile picture of the sender and lets the recipient close the player.

If you have the stable version, don’t hurry in search of this new feature: you won’t find it yet. The new media player is only present in the beta version for Android, as said by WABetaInfo. The beta version of WhatsApp for desktop 2.2204.5 gives an impression of how it will work after the release.

The feature is available on both iOS and Android. On iOS, the media player will remain on top of the screen while playing off the original chat. On Android, the player appears at the bottom. While the update is available for all platforms, including the web version, it will take a while before it hits all the phones. But, as we see it being tested on different platforms, chances are the feature is almost ready and will appear in the next update of the release version.

Recently, WhatsApp rolls out dozens of minor updates that, seen together, reshape the whole user experience. Have you noticed this change after this series of updates? Have you tried the new Global Media Player in the beta version? If so, let us know in the comments.