Element-android: Send and play voice messages

[Luraktinus]

Add the abillity to record and send voice messages inside the App and also play them.
(without the need of 3rd party apps)

EDIT by @bmarty:
Additional requirements:

• Users hold a button to record a voice message and release to review then send (or delete).
• The voice message is recorded as an audio file and uploaded to the media repository.
• A special event is written to the timeline and renders on clients as a playable voice message.
• Recording and playing audio files must be integrated into the app that no external other app is required for both functions.

[soonzhi]

any plan of doing this?

[bpcurse]

We have many requests for this feature as people are used to it from whatsapp and other messengers. The usability for illiterate people is another important factor.
The legacy riot-android even has a pull request open for this that hasn't been merged yet.

EDIT: Except for illiterate people, it is probably an important feature for the visually impaired, too. I cannot tell but I expect it to be a better UX than using a screen reader.

[bmarty]

(FTR: https://github.com/vector-im/riot-android/issues/1237)

[tuxayo]

The usability for illiterate people is another important factor.

EDIT: Except for illiterate people, it is probably an important feature for the visually impaired, too. I cannot tell but I expect it to be a better UX than using a screen reader.

Another use case: I have a relative with arthritis or osteoarthritis and it's getting harder and harder to reliably use a touch keyboard.

[tuxayo]

@bpcurse

The legacy riot-android even has a pull request open for this that hasn't been merged yet.

Is that these two?

https://github.com/vector-im/riot-android/pull/3314

https://github.com/vector-im/riot-android/pull/3207

[tuxayo]

Additional info: the same workaround[1] as in Riot legacy doesn't work as the file attachment menu doesn't offer the possibility to invoke a recorder app.

[1] this comment and the next one: https://github.com/vector-im/riot-android/issues/1237#issuecomment-600982782

[532910]

Is any update there? This is a high-priority-must-have feature for any 21th century IM!

[bmarty]

Interesting library to consider (found by @onurays )

• https://github.com/varunjohn/Audio-Recording-Animation
• https://github.com/Armen101/AudioRecordView

[tuxayo]

@532910

Is any update there? This is a high-priority-must-have feature for any 21th century IM!

No need to word it like that. It seems (from a user POV) that RiotX is still very early in development. So yes, many stuff is missing.

[tuxayo]

I wish we users could fund well the project. That would help a lot for the development.
https://liberapay.com/matrixdotorg/

[532910]

It will be nice to have ability to change a playback speed (with pitch correction of course).

[progserega]

May be do this as next iteration:
Add options for room "play new voice-messages in background" - even if screen is off.

And riotX will be able to work as a "radio".

[hieronymousch]

Bit of a shame that this lost the riotx-go-live push...

[fti7]

I think they will focus on this as soon RiotX can replace/is feature complete of the old Android App.
I switched to RiotX as the new Cross signing Feature came up and they did a good job for the current "Alpha/Beta" Stage :-)

[michaelblyons]

I would really like the same for video messages, too. A friend uses this all the time in a different application.

[ralaud]

I would really like the same for video messages, too. A friend uses this all the time in a different application.

This feature would be nice, but I think it would be huge amount of data for a server.

[michaelblyons]

I would really like the same for video messages, too. A friend uses this all the time in a different application.

This feature would be nice, but I think it would be huge amount of data for a server.

It's reputedly in Riot Android already: "Record and send"

[ralaud]

I would really like the same for video messages, too. A friend uses this all the time in a different application.

This feature would be nice, but I think it would be huge amount of data for a server.

It's reputedly in Riot Android already: "Record and send"

Oh, you are right, I forgot about this feature because it isn't so handy for video messages.

[TR-SLimey]

Maybe, just maybe, voice changer effects could also be added like Wire has? Mostly for fun but also to hide what your voice actually sounds like for privacy reasons.

[DoM1niC]

Currently I use the new RiotX instead of Riot with the VoiceMessage Forks, I hope some will implemented soon :(

THX anyway the new RiotX will bash all known Open Source Messenger alternatives!!!!!!!

[progserega]

It is nice feature in Telegram: app will begin auto record voice-message when user place phone (with opened Telegram) to head.

Steps of this feature:

1. Unlock screen of phone
2. Open Element app
3. Open needed room
4. place phone to head (use proximity sensor)
5. Element will hide screen (for prevent press some buttons by head), small vibrate and begin record voice message
6. When user remove phone from head - Element will stop recording voce-message
7. Element wait 3-5 seconds for get users chance cancel sending this voce-message (by press showed "cancel sending" button)
8. If user not press this button - Element will send voice message to this room.

Also - nice feature is setting up in settings speed of playing voice-messages.

[hoergen]

I wonder what is the reason, why it is implemented in the Web App, but was never implemented in Riot, RiotX or Element?

I want to push this issue a little more, because it is open for now 2 years ?

[torbendoellmann]

There should also be a possibility to prevent other people from sending me voice messages (they would still be able to send audio files, but it takes an extra step, since you need to switch to a recording app to do so).

Sending voice messages is one of the worst things you can do to another person. Often it's not possibel to listen to them because you might be in a crowded place and most of the time people waste more than a minute to give you information that would fit in a sentence or two.

[progserega]

There should also be a possibility to prevent other people from sending me voice messages (they would still be able to send audio files, but it takes an extra step, since you need to switch to a recording app to do so).

Sending voice messages is one of the worst things you can do to another person. Often it's not possibel to listen to them because you might be in a crowded place and most of the time people waste more than a minute to give you information that would fit in a sentence or two.

I am use https://github.com/progserega/voice2textMatrix bot for convert voice messages to text. It is not secure, but enough for most dialogs with voice-messages (at now this is mostly whatsapp bridged dialogs).

[jtagcat]

"Please don't send me voice messages." can be communicated between users themselves. Technology strongarming is not always the solution.

Transcriptions (also possible to do locally, on mobile devices) would be the next step, after implementing voice messages.

[wilhelmhagg]

I currently see all my friends migrating to telegram which I don't like. The voice recording feature is the only one missing to recommend them matrix/element. I would really love to see that.

[Atalonica]

The major missing feature as an user point of view, in my opinion.

[nithwith]

This feature will be really great and I hope it will be quickly integrated; it can really make a difference in attracting mass users from other online messaging platforms! I'm following the evolution of the issue carefully and will be available for the testing phase!

[alijafari96]

It's really surprising that a feature of this importance hasn't been implemented. Although there aren't many developers working on the project, the priority of voice messaging isn't that much low that after a year it hasn't been taken into account yet!

[gabmert]

Cross referencing:
this feature is also wished for in web/desktop: https://github.com/vector-im/element-web/issues/1358
and it seems both are waiting for an update of the Matrix protocol https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/2516

[jtrees]

FluffyChat already has this feature, by the way. An implementation should be possible with the existing protocol.

[fbruetting]

@bmarty Are there any plans for this feature ? I searched for this issue and found out – quite unsurprisingly – that I’m by far not the only one having problems getting quite some friends to use Matrix because of this sole and incredible useful feature. My friends are really interested, but it’s a major blocker for a lot of people. :/

[Yajo]

An implementation should be possible with the existing protocol.

I guess that it's not possible for bridges to properly bridge a voice message and look native on both ends of the bridge unless it can differentiate that it actually is a voice message, and not just one attached sound file.

Example, this is how a native whatsapp message looks like:

Now, when bridged from matrix using fluffychat voice message:

I see similar things in other bridges.

[sim6]

Yes, it's not perfect for bridges but I prefer this behaviour to the current one. It can always be improved in the future.

[hex-m]

The audio player part got it's own issue: https://github.com/vector-im/element-android/issues/2525

[hoergen]

The audio player part got it's own issue: #2525

hehe .... no!

This thread is meanwhile about that an essential function is not implemented because of other networks that are reachable via bridges. Looks like the development lost the direction on that topic.

[DanHakimi]

This thread is meanwhile about that an essential function is not implemented because of other networks that are reachable via bridges. Looks like the development lost the direction on that topic.

To be fair, the audio player thread got derailed with features that would be good for audiobooks or music players but just not make sense for an inline messaging app audio player. It's github, threads get derailed.

[hoergen]

This thread is meanwhile about that an essential function is not implemented because of other networks that are reachable via bridges. Looks like the development lost the direction on that topic.

To be fair, the audio player thread got derailed with features that would be good for audiobooks or music players but just not make sense for an inline messaging app audio player. It's github, threads get derailed.

Please stick to this thread topic "Send and play voice messages" and don't do what you explained for completely other threads. Thank you.

The topic of this thread is still: Send and play voice messages

[hoergen]

Add an embedded player for Audio files #2525
https://github.com/vector-im/element-android/issues/2525

[TheTrainor]

Every single person I've tried to convince to use Matrix/Element has said no as soon as they found out it didn't have an easy to use audio message feature.

Edit: I guess I should ask... any updates or a timeline as to when this might be implemented? I am really trying to get a bunch of people I know to make the switch to Matrix now with this whole Whatsapp/Fb debacle going on, but some usability features like this^ make it really hard and turn a lot of people off.

^2nd biggest complaint I hear is the lack of the "standardized left-right chat bubble interface" every other chat app has).

[trymeouteh]

Signal, Jami and other apps do this. Would be nice to see Element support this.

[TR-SLimey]

I think we've established now that this is an important feature, and as far as I know, it is planned, so maybe let's limit comments to suggestions only, and if you want to express your support for the feature, just give a +1.