Soon we will be able to have an avatar respond to video calls arriving on WhatsApp for us.
This is a curious feature, which would be part of a broader strategy on the metaverse of the parent company Meta, discovered in the code of the experimental version for Android (number 2.22.15.5) from the WABetaInfo site.
The site claims that the clues lead us to think that WhatsApp is working to introduce the possibility of adding an avatar to the profile of the messaging service, whether or not it resumes the real appearance of the user, a bit like it happens on Facebook and Instagram where the characters can be used as stickers to apply to photos and videos.
In the case of chats, however, the purpose would be much broader and aimed at animating the avatar so that it appears in the background of a video call, with the expression of the face that reproduces, in sync, the real one of the person who is in front of the phone.
A screen shared by WABetaInfo shows a new button labeled "Switch to avatar" that users will need to press to switch between the live camera feed and animated characters.
There are no indications on a possible launch timing which, at the moment, would only affect the Android version of the app.
According to experts, the move is part of WhatsApp owner Meta's larger plan to launch its metaverse, in which the various platforms it manages will be able to channel to offer a unified experience.
In this regard, a few days ago, Zuckerberg had formalized the upcoming arrival of a virtual clothing store for the group's avatars, with clothes in collaboration with Prada, Balenciaga and Thom Browne.