WhatsApp Animated Stickers Coming to Android, iPhone, Web: Report

WhatsApp is working on bringing animated stickers support to iOS, Android, and even the Web. Tipster WABetaInfo has shared screenshots and photos of the feature working on all three platforms, but says that it is still under development. This means that end users will not be able to see it yet. He says that WhatsApp will introduce the feature in the future updates. Animated stickers are different from GIFs - they keep alive throughout, while GIFs stop playing after a few seconds.

The tipster says that animated stickers will arrive in WhatsApp via sticker packs. Animated sticker packs will need to be downloaded, just like how you download normal stickers today. They will appear animated in the preview section and in chats, and will play continuously. They are different from GIFs as they stop playing after a while, but animated stickers won't. WABetaInfo says that WhatsApp tested something similar in the past, but abandoned it quickly. Now, it's begun testing it again and looks to roll it out commercially soon.

Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

The tipster says that the instant messaging app is looking to introduce this feature in iOS and Android platforms both. Further, it is also looking to bring support for WhatsApp Web version as well.

There is no word on when this feature will roll out for all users. The tipster says that, in his testing, the feature works very well. The animated stickers feature comes with support for third party stickers as well. He predicts that this new feature shouldn't take a long time before it is released for everyone.

We discussed what WhatsApp absolutely needs to do in 2019, on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.