WhatsApp is testing a new sound sticker format on Android
WhatsApp is testing a feature that lets users share sound stickers, a type of message that plays a sound when users share it. Unlike static and animated stickers, sound stickers add an audio dimension to the sticker experience. WhatsApp is also working on a feature that will allow users to create their own sound stickers.
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Feature: | Sound stickers |
| Status: | Under development |
| Availability info: | This feature is currently in development and not yet available for beta testing. |
| Previous news: | WhatsApp is rolling out scheduled messages on Android beta! |
WhatsApp removed avatar stickers to focus on what users actually use
In June, we reported that WhatsApp removed avatar stickers from the Android and iOS apps. With avatar stickers, users could create their digital version and generate a new sticker pack. Users could also combine their avatar with the one created by their contacts, and WhatsApp would turn both into a single sticker. It was possible to decide who could create avatar stickers from the privacy screen. Unfortunately, WhatsApp removed both the avatar feature and its privacy setting, as users were not likely adopting it widely enough. However, WhatsApp has not officially announced why it decided to remove the feature. As a result, low adoption is the most likely explanation.
WhatsApp is now working on a completely new type of sticker
After removing avatar stickers from the app, WhatsApp is finally working on another type called "sound stickers". It is a new format that adds an audio layer to the sticker experience. We discovered this feature with the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.41.3 update, which is available on the Google Play Store. With this update, WhatsApp is testing a new type of sticker that plays a sound when users share it in a chat. This makes conversations more interactive, since a sticker can now respond to a tap with a sound.
What sound stickers are and how they work
A sound sticker looks like a standard sticker in the chat, but it includes a short audio track. When users receive a sound sticker and tap it, WhatsApp plays its audio track. WhatsApp will still show the sticker in the conversation, making the experience like an extension of standard stickers. Users who receive a sound sticker will understand that there is something to hear by the audio icon over the sticker. To play it, they will just need to tap it. Both the sticker and its audio track are secured by end-to-end encryption.
How sound stickers differ from standard stickers
Stickers on WhatsApp can be static and animated, but they cannot produce a sound. WhatsApp moves animated stickers when they appear in the chat, but there is nothing to hear. With sound stickers, WhatsApp can add a third dimension to the format. The sticker appears just like any other in the chat, but a tap plays the audio attached to it. This makes sound stickers a more expressive format than anything else WhatsApp offers in the sticker category.
How users will be able to create their own sound stickers
WhatsApp is not only working on sound stickers for the official sticker store. In the future, users will also be able to create their own sound stickers. WhatsApp will introduce a feature to combine a sticker with an audio clip to produce a sound sticker they can send to others. For example, users will be able to convert a video to an animated sticker to create a new sound sticker. This feature will bring a creative dimension to the sticker experience that was never possible with avatar stickers.
Sound stickers respect the device's silent mode and user preferences
On silent mode, sound stickers play without any audio. WhatsApp will respect the device's silent mode, so the audio will only play when the phone is not muted. Users who want to hear a sound sticker can simply tap the sticker to play its audio track. Users will be able to mute a sound sticker by tapping the volume icon that appears on the sticker. WhatsApp will remember this setting for any other sound sticker until the user decides to change it.
WhatsApp is developing sound stickers for a future Android update
Sound stickers are currently under development on Android. Since it is in development, the feature is not available yet. WhatsApp will make it available to beta testers in a future update. At the moment, WhatsApp has not announced when this feature will be ready for beta testing.
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