One UI 5.1 update breaks Google Assistant integration for WhatsApp

Samsung has quickly rolled out the One UI 5.1 update to its smartphones and tablets. The update has already started reaching mid-range smartphones and tablets. While there haven't been major reports about bugs, there appears to be a problem in sending WhatsApp messages through a voice command.

Google Assistant command to send WhatsApp messages seems broken on One UI 5.1

After installing the One UI 5.1 update, we experienced that the Google Assistant voice command used to send messages via WhatsApp is broken. When the voice command is used, Google Assistant says it can't see a WhatsApp number for the contact to whom the message is to be sent. We double-checked the feature on phones running One UI 5.0 and One UI 5.1 to be sure, and the feature works perfectly on devices running One UI 5.0.

While we are unsure if the problem is due to a bug within WhatsApp, Google Assistant, or One UI 5.1, it is most likely the latter. It is also unclear if the feature is broken only on some Galaxy models or all smartphones. Those who rely a lot on Google Assistant and WhatsApp for quickly sending messages might find this problem irritating.

Usually, with major Android OS or One UI updates, some bugs surface, but Samsung quickly solves them with subsequent updates. So, if you use Google Assistant commands to send WhatsApp messages, we advise you not to install the One UI 5.1 update for now and wait for the problem to be solved.