WhatsApp is reviving a feature on the iPhone that had recently disappeared: animated message bubbles. In the current beta version, they appear in a new style – and this time can also be turned off if desired.
As one of the most widely used messaging apps on the iPhone, WhatsApp regularly receives new features, most recently a paid subscription called WhatsApp Plus. Now the company is working on a smaller but noticeable change to the chat: Incoming messages will once again appear animated. This feature was removed in a previous update, meaning messages have since appeared in the chat history without any visual effect.
What makes the new animation special
Instead of simply appearing in their original position, message bubbles now fade in smoothly and gradually scale up until they blend into the chat history. This effect is intentionally different from the previous version – WhatsApp is opting for a new, more subtle style. WABetaInfo discovered this change in the iOS beta version 26.24.10.70.
A switch to turn it off
Unlike before, there's now a separate setting for animations. In the settings, under "Chats" and "Animations," you can specify whether messages should appear animated. The new toggle for messages is located there alongside the existing options for emojis, stickers, and GIFs. Users who don't want any animation in their chats can disable the effect entirely.
WhatsApp: Still in the testing phase
Like most features distributed via the TestFlight beta, the new animation is currently only available to a limited group of testers. The same setting appeared in the Android beta a week earlier. WhatsApp has not yet announced a date for the public release – however, the fact that testing is now running simultaneously on iOS and Android suggests that the launch is imminent. (Image: Shutterstock / Primakov)
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