WhatsApp Next Update To Come With Support For GIFs As Hinted By Android App Beta Version

A WhatsApp future update is now expected to bring in support for GIFs after the beta version of the mobile messaging app for the Android OS was found to include a feature that allows beta testers to record and send videos as GIFs to other users.

According to Phone Arena, though WhatsApp currently does not have support for GIFs, users can send these animated image format files using a beta version of WhatsApp for the Android OS with the build code of 2.16.244. The site went on to state that the appearance of this feature in the unofficial update hints at the probability that the feature is going to be made available to all WhatsApp users soon.

WhatsApp has been providing a seamless mobile messaging experience to many users since 2009. However, despite improving its services and features to catch up with modern trends, it is still lacking support for users to send GIFs to each other.

The arrival of GIF support to WhatsApp via a future update is very timely, since social network giants FaceBook and Twitter already allow their users to send and share GIF files. While WhatsApp users are waiting for the feature to come, however, they can enjoy trying this out using the Android app beta version that is currently available on the Play Store beta. There is also a downloadable APK of the beta available online.

Android Authority reports that to use this feature while running the WhatsApp 2.16.244 beta software in an unrooted device, one should record a video that should not be longer than six seconds. The user can also use an existing video, but he or she needs to trim it to meet the required length of the clip. Once the video clip is ready, the user should tap the camcorder icon on the beta software’s interface that would then switch it into a GIF icon.

Upon sending the file, the user will be able to see it playing as an animated file in line with the conversation thread. The file will be displayed as an MP4 file on the Sent folder, but Android Police clarified that it is already a GIF file, with the app labeling it as such when it appears in the conversation list and in the app notification.