If you're an early metaverse evangelist, you probably can't wait to start blurring the line between reality and virtual existence. Avatars are going to be a big part of how we represent ourselves in this new world, and about a month back we heard about Meta-owned WhatsApp's interest in a new mode for video calls that would let you replace yourself with a virtual avatar. Today we're getting our first hint at how that might end up looking, as WhatsApp seems poised to adopt Facebook's Bitmoji-like avatars.
WhatsApp is always picking up new stuff, and now the latest beta 2.22.16.11 introduces a section simply labeled Avatar, as spotted by WABetaInfo. There we can see what appears to be the sort of avatars users will eventually be able to use, which seem to be clones of the basic 3D avatars available on Facebook. In addition to using avatars as a mask during video calls, much like on Zoom, the app could also fashion stickers out of your avatar, similar to Bitmoji.
When we first heard about this in-development feature around a month ago, details about it were scant, and it wasn't at all clear how things might end up looking. Thanks to this new screenshot, it sure feels likely we'll get Facebook avatars with support for granular customization options for skin tone, clothing, hair color, hairstyles, posture, and facial expressions, although limited variations may be offered to begin with.
Since WhatsApp seems to be developing a whole section devoted to avatars, this feels like it could become an integral part of the app in the future. For now, the feature appears to be in the early stages of development and WhatsApp has yet to talk officially about its plans.