WhatsApp for Android is reportedly testing a new feature that allows users to react to messages more quickly by simply double-tapping them.
The feature, identified by the WhatsApp beta tracker WABetaInfo, is currently available in the beta app version 2.24.16.7 and aims to streamline the process of expressing emotions in conversations.
The new double-tap gesture could let users instantly display a default heart emoji when reacting to messages, aligning with similar functionalities in other Meta Platforms apps like Instagram and Facebook. This method would be faster than the current process, which requires users to tap and hold a message to select a reaction.
Presently, this double-tap reaction feature is exclusive to beta testers in the Google Play Beta program and is still under development. Gadgets 360 staff attempted to verify the feature’s availability in the WhatsApp Android beta app but were unsuccessful.
In addition to this quick reaction capability, WhatsApp is also developing other features, including live transcription of voice messages and real-time translation.
The platform’s AI chatbot, Meta AI, is set to receive enhancements such as expanded language support and new functionalities like Imagine Edit and Imagine Me. Furthermore, WhatsApp is introducing the opportunity to test the Llama 3.1 405B, Meta’s latest AI model designed to handle complex queries and advanced mathematical problems more effectively.
