WhatsApp prepares to ring in New Year with festive update

New Year celebrations are weeks away but it seems that WhatsApp is already preparing for the end-of-year festive season as it is working on a new feature to add in an upcoming update.

The Meta-owned instant messaging app is set to roll out a feature to animate some confetti emoji reactions for the New Year, and it's available to some beta testers who download the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.24.17 update from the Google Play Store.

According to WABetaInfo, with the upcoming update, users will be able to explore a new animation when reacting to messages using some festive-themed emojis. 

Specifically, the Party Popper, Partying Face, and Confetti Ball emojis will trigger vibrant animations designed to enhance the celebratory mood as the world approaches the New Year, a period often associated with celebrations and festive messages. 

Emojis that symbolise joy and festivity are expected to see widespread use during this season and WhatsApp is preparing for it by adding a delightful cosmetic touch to its reactions.

When users react to a chat message choosing one of the emojis, it triggers an engaging graphic effect: colourful confetti bursts out of the emoji, creating a lively animation, making interactions more fun and expressive.

It's worth noting that this feature is available only to selected beta testers, but it is expected to be rolled out to all users soon, just in time for the upcoming New Year celebrations.