WhatsApp is working on a bunch of new features for its Android, iOS and desktop users. Recently, the Meta-owned platform recently announced the global release of automatic Facebook sharing for Status updates. Now, moving on to the next update, WhatsApp is reportedly working on animated emojis to enhance messaging and connectivity on the platform.
According to Wabetainfo, a site which tracks the latest developments of WhatsApp. The instant messaging platform is working on animated emojis feature to enhance user messaging experience. WhatsApp is reportedly developing animated emojis using Lottie, a library that lets designers easily create animations.
Notably, the feature is currently under development but is expected to show up in beta builds of WhatsApp desktop and mobile apps with future updates. However, once released, the update will allow users to send animated emojis like stickers to make messaging more personal and fun. Notably, WhatsApp will keep the animations small in size by default but will also allow users to alter proportions without losing quality.
Along with the animated emojis, WhatsApp is also said to be planning to release a redesigned keyboard for Android devices. This feature is also currently under development and will be available in a future update of the app.
“Thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.9.2 update, available on the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is also working on tweaking the app keyboard,” notes WABetaInfo.
The report suggests that WhatsApp is redesigning its keyboard, moving the selection bar from the bottom to the top and possibly removing the categories bar. The report further mentions that the new design change may also remove the bar that allows users to access various categories of emojis.
WhatsApp is testing a new feature that removes the category bar from the emoji keyboard, according to a report by WABetaInfo. The category bar currently allows users to access different categories of emojis. Removing this bar can affect users who frequently use emojis. With this change, users have to scroll more to send a certain emoji.
However, it is worth noting that the feature is in the experimental phase and is still under development, so final changes are still not confirmed.
Meanwhile, the latest update mentioned in the report provides information about compatibility with older operating systems. According to the report, WhatsApp appears to have ended support for Android versions below 5.0 with its upcoming update.
The end of support for older Android versions might follow WhatsApp’s decision to improve security and user experience and to allow developers to focus on new features for users with more recent versions of the operating system.
