WhatsApp, a popular messaging app, is said to be developing an improved avatar pack with animated icons. Using Meta’s artificial intelligence (AI) resources, WhatsApp’s avatar creation page can now create custom animated avatars using a single image.
WhatsApp introduces animated avatars in the latest Beta update: a new dimension of expression for chats
The latest beta 2.23.16.12 update on the Google Play Store for Android users includes the introduction of an animated version of the existing avatar pack. According to WABetaInfo, a website that tracks WhatsApp updates, some beta testers will now have the chance to test animated icons thanks to this recent update.
Animated avatars are divided into various categories based on their appearance, such as happy, entertaining, angry, shiny, and more. Similar to Snapchat’s Bitmoji, these animated avatars bring an extra level of excitement to your WhatsApp conversations with their added animations.
Using Meta’s artificial intelligence resources, the avatar creation page in WhatsApp now generates custom animated avatars using a single image. When a sender chooses an animated avatar, it is sent as a sticker. The recipient can then add this animated icon to their favorites section as a sticker.
To use the animated avatar feature, users need to set an avatar on their WhatsApp accounts, which can be achieved by going to Settings > Avatar > Create your avatar. Once the avatar is created, users using the latest beta version of WhatsApp will notice an additional tab next to the emojis, stickers, and GIFs section. From there, they can send animated avatars to other people.
Please note that this animated avatar feature is currently exclusively accessible to WhatsApp beta users running version 12.23.16.12 or higher. For now, the feature appears to be supported only on Android phones. WhatsApp is expected to introduce animated avatars in the stable version in the near future.
The animated avatar feature only requires the sender to be in beta to create and send animated avatars. Recipients using older or stable versions of WhatsApp can still see and receive animated icons as animated stickers on both Android and iPhone.
Additional details about avatars in WhatsApp:
Android users can participate in the WhatsApp beta program through the Google Play Store. Alternatively, users can manually install the latest WhatsApp beta via APK to test the avatars. In addition to avatars, WhatsApp has also been testing a feature that allows users to set group settings before even creating a group. This feature was noted in a previous beta version.
Additionally, WhatsApp is actively developing a spam protection feature to identify and filter unwanted calls. This will complement the existing feature where users can mute unknown people on WhatsApp.
