Latest WhatsApp beta update brings dark mode, animated stickers might roll out soon

WhatsApp beta users are receiving a couple of new updates on Android, one of which might brighten your day a bit by making the app go dark. Beta users of the most popular online messaging app are now receiving dark mode colour themes. As one would expect, turning the option on dims the apps’ appearance by turning brightly lit background and app elements to dark grey. We received the option with WhatsApp beta version 2.20.13. Those who are already enrolled as beta testers of the app can head over to the Google Play Store to download the update. Those who want to try out the option can enrol as a beta tester from the Google Play Store listing of the app. 

As one will observe from the screenshots embedded below, the dark mode theme isn’t really completely black, like we have observed on some other apps. The background turns dark grey, along with UI elements like the header featuring search option and three-dot menu for navigating to settings. This particular dark theme is not like what we have seen on other apps, for example, Google’s apps that feature dark mode have a dark black background. This colour scheme doesn’t reduce strain from your eyes but will also save some battery on devices with AMOLED display. 

Alongside the addition of dark mode, WhatsApp has rolled out an update for Stickers. First noted by WABetaInfo, the update could be to enable animated stickers on the chat app. While we did notice an update for all sticker packs in-app, updating them did not enable any animations. WABetaInfo notes that animation for the sticker packs is a server-side update that is being rolled out with Android version number 2.20.10. Animated stickers could be enabled by the company later. Such stickers are already available on other online chat apps like Telegram and Hike and it seems like Facebook has realised that it needs to add the option as well. 

 

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