A report published by WABetaInfo earlier this month had revealed that WhatsApp is planning to introduce the ability to search messages by date on both Android and iOS. While the search by date feature is expected to begin rolling out sometime later this year, it looks like WhatsApp users will soon be able to view animated stickers.
WhatsApp added support for animated stickers with beta version 2.20.194.7 on Android and 2.20.70.26 on iOS (via WABetaInfo). As per Android Police, however, the feature has now been removed with the latest beta v2.20.194.9.
If you have WhatsApp beta 2.20.194.7 installed on your phone, you may be able to view animated stickers in conversations, although you won’t be able to send one until someone sends you a sticker first. Once someone sends you an animated sticker, you will be able to access five animated sticker packs: Rico’s Sweet Life, Moody Foodies, Chummy Chum Chums, Playful Piyomaru, and Bright Days. However, you will have to make sure you disable automatic updates for the app, as the feature isn’t available on the newer 194.9 version.
Currently, however, the stickers only animate once, instead of looping. However, you can make the stickers animate again by scrolling up or down in a conversation. It remains to be seen if WhatsApp will allow animated stickers to loop once it starts rolling out widely to users as part of a stable release.
