Whatsapp is quietly developing a cool feature that will allow users to make video calls without showing their faces. Instead, they’ll be able to use an avatar provided by the software or even create their custom avatar. It’s similar to Apple’s Animoji, Snapchat’s Memoji, or Samsung’s AR Emoji. Rumor has it that Mark Zuckerberg’s company has been working on it since March this year.
More About Whatsapp’s Upcoming Video Call Avatar Feature
Image source : Google Play/ Whatsupp
Information about this upcoming feature by Whatsapp is very scanty. But with the little details we’ve gathered, we know this is an avatar feature for video calls. For starters, an avatar is a graphical illustration that represents your profile picture.
Whatsapp will soon be launching this feature through the Google Play Beta Program. Wabetainfo, a blog dedicated to Whatsapp news, shared an image of it, as shown in the screenshot below;
Image Source : wabetainfo
As you can see, the avatar will include a new option within the video call screen that allows you to switch from your profile picture or face to it quickly. To accomplish that, taping the “Switch to Avatar” button below your profile picture or face is all you’ll need to do.
It’ll also have another functionality that lets you edit the avatar to create your custom avatar. Launching the “Avatar Editor” is all you need to do to customize the avatar and set up your custom avatar. By the way, this is a well-thought idea as not everyone will like the default avatar.
But that’s not all. The feature will also allow you to send avatars as stickers right within your chats and groups for fun. It may also be helpful for those who may want to use your avatar instead of their own or the default one that Whatsapp will offer.
Whatsapp’s upcoming video call avatar feature is another proof of how the company takes user privacy and security seriously. It will complement the end-to-end encryption feature introduced last year as another security layer. This encryption makes private messaging through the app more secure and provides archive options for voice message preview, disappearing messages, and chats.
Unfortunately, there’s no official communication from Whatsapp regarding the launch date of the new avatar. Maybe that’s because the development process is still far from over, or the company wants to catch us by surprise. Either way, it will be great to see the new video call avatar feature in the app as soon as possible.
Also, read YouTube Develops More Ways For Content Monetization
Will Whatsapp’s Existing Emoji Set Disappear When The New Video Call Avatar Comes Out?
Whatsapp introduced a cool emoji set for Android in 2017. Though it’s hard to tell the future of the emojis when the avatar comes out, we can only predict and hope that Mark Zuckerberg and his team will retain them. After all, they are a part of the company’s video call avatar journey, and ditching them will not be a noble move for Zuckerberg and his team. By the way, it’s because of them that many people find the messaging app more exciting to use. Can you imagine how boring the app would be today without them?
In Summary
- Name of the upcoming feature: Video call avatar.
- Status: Under development.
- Purpose: An alternative to your profile picture or face during a video call.
- Customizable: YES.
- Release Date: N/A.
- Alternatives: Apple’s Animoji, Snapchat’s Memoji, and Samsung’s AR Emoji.
- Supported Platforms: Android and iOS in the future.
- To Launch On: Google Play.
- Supported Whatsapp Version: To be announced.
Infostor.com (c).
