WhatsApp starts testing reactions on Android beta

Responding to user requests and in the same vein as other platforms, WhatsApp is starting to test reactions in beta version 2.22.8.3 of the Android app.

With more than two billion users worldwide, Meta’s instant messaging app will offer Internet users a fast, easy and fun way to respond to messages received in individual or group chats.

The information was made known through the WABetaInfo website, which always reports upcoming WhatsApp features first. These emoji reactions are activated by a long press on a received message.

The feature allows users to react with one of six emojis: thumbs up, heart, crying, laughing, surprised face or hands together. , which is generally understood as “thank you” or “grateful.”

The specialized page shared a GIF about what a reaction looks like by choosing the heart emoji.

Will reactions come to iOS?

In addition to its testing phase on Android, there are signs that emoji reactions are on the way for desktop apps and iOS as well.

In early January, the WhatsApp beta app on Apple’s operating system had a setting change to control “Reaction Notifications,” and a similar setting appeared in the beta version of the desktop app in early March.

Emoji reactions have become common in other messaging services like iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Google’s Messages app, and even Twitter direct messages. Now, they come to WhatsApp, and very soon they should be available in all their versions.

Meanwhile, Meta plans to close some WhatsApp accounts from March 31, so some users might miss out on the new reactions in chats.

The reasons why some accounts of the instant messaging application could be closed are, first of all, due to inactivity, since if a person spends more than 120 days without using the platform, their profile will be deleted.

WhatsApp will also evaluate the behaviour of some accounts and determine whether or not they should be closed. The reasons go through the dissemination of fake news, spam, sending modified applications and the use of them, among other reasons.