A pleasant surprise from WhatsApp: a new feature will appear in the messenger

WhatsApp developers have begun testing an updated visual design for messages in the iPhone version of the messenger. The new feature has already appeared in the latest beta build of the app, distributed through the TestFlight platform.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to 9to5Mac and WABetaInfo data, the messenger team decided to bring back animation effects for sent messages, which had previously been removed from the app. Users will be given the option to independently enable or disable this feature through the settings.

According to the source, the corresponding toggle is located in the "Chats" section next to the parameters responsible for emoji, sticker, and GIF animation. Once the effect is activated, messages no longer appear instantly: they now smoothly emerge in the conversation with a slight size increase and gradual fade-in.

At the current stage, the new feature is available only to a limited number of participants in the beta testing program on iOS. A similar capability was previously spotted in test versions of WhatsApp for Android, indicating the developers' desire to unify the user experience across both platforms.

The official launch date of the update for the general public has not yet been announced. However, simultaneous testing on devices running iOS and Android may indicate preparation for a large-scale release in the near future.