WhatsApp tests double-tap reactions and air filters for video calls
WhatsApp will soon introduce a new way to react to messages, well-known among other messengers, including Messenger and Instagram. It involves quickly double-tapping a message in the chat to send a default reaction. WhatsApp's creators are already testing this feature.
WABetaInfo highlights details while analyzing WhatsApp 2.24.16.7 Beta for Android. Quick reactions triggered by double-tapping on a selected message in the chat are a well-known feature of other messengers and social media platforms. You can send "hearts" this way on Messenger and Instagram and react this way to typical posts.
WhatsApp previously tested similar ways of reacting to multimedia sent. Text messages are a novelty in this context. WABetaInfo mentions that the feature is currently at an early stage of development and is not yet available to all WhatsApp beta testers. At this moment, it's unclear when it will be included in the stable release, but it's clear that once it is, reacting to a double tap will not be able to be turned off in settings.
Simultaneously, WhatsApp is testing new filters and AR overlays that can be used during video calls. This option is also currently available only to selected beta testers. Using simple options, users will eventually be able to smooth the image or use night mode, impacting the quality of the transmitted video during calls made in difficult lighting conditions.
Both new features are not yet ready for widespread use in WhatsApp beta versions. Users will need to be patient and await their inclusion in the stable version of the messenger in the coming weeks and months.
