The shot was posted by German Apple blog Macerkopf and the screenshot does resemble WhatsApp's current design.
If the reports are true, the app may be trialling the feature with a select number of users before rolling out more widely. However, WhatsApp has not yet commented on the rumours. WhatsApp added free voice calls to its Android and iOS apps earlier this year. Users simply have to click on the 'Calls' tab and choose a contact to phone a friend at no cost.
But this only works between WhatsApp users, and it relies on an internet connection. The 'Calls' feature requires an internet connection and works in a similar way to how Skype connects web-based calls - a service known as 'voice over internet protocol' or VoIP. Other messaging apps, including Viber, already offer free voice and video calls to users, and it's believed WhatsApp's update is designed to rival such services.
Skype was one of the first firms to make VoIP a mainstream technology, and last year it launched a translator. The beta version of its live translation tool lets people speak to others in another language - even if they don’t know what they’re saying. The tool then translates speech instantly, providing both text and spoken translations.
The public version launched with English and Spanish translations, but the Microsoft-owned firm is looking to add more than 40 languages to the service. Google also recently added a live translation tool to is Google Translate app and this could be the next step for messaging apps such as Viber and Whatsapp. Last year, WhatsApp updated its service to make it harder to avoid messages. The Facebook-owned app displays two blue ticks in the bottom right-hand corner of an individual message to show it has been read.
Writer - Liam McClelland | @Liamicy