WhatsApp is working on a new capability that will allow users to design an avatar to use as their personal profile picture on the instant messaging service. The details came from the well-known leak site WABetainfo, which spotted the new feature in one of the latest beta versions on Android, and according to the site it will likely be available on iOS as well.
Currently, WhatsApp users can choose a profile picture from the photo gallery or from the collection of personal files available on their device. According to the details, with the new feature users will be able to choose the appearance of the character, skin tone, hair, eyes, background color and more. In fact, this is a similar feature to the Memoji or Bitmoji known from Apple or other services.
This is a report on an aspect that has already been published online. According to the previous reports, Meta wants to allow widespread use of the avatar in the WhatsApp series and not only for a profile picture, but also within video calls, whether it is for the purpose of hiding the user’s face during the call or for visual effects for fun and entertainment purposes.
It is not yet clear when or if at all the new ability to create an avatar will be integrated, but it seems that this is a feature that the company has been working on for a long time, so the chances are high. If launched, this feature will join some recent innovations that have already been officially announced, such as the ability to leave group chats secretly without showing a message to others, controlling who can see when you’re online, and preventing screenshots of disappearing messages.