WhatsApp has its own controversies. But anywhere it is going to improve, it includes adding more features.
The popular messaging platform owned by Facebook, introduces stickers. This way, WhatsApp can offer a more engaging, and also a fun way for users to express themselves on the platform, without having to use emojis.
As a start, WhatsApp offers a bunch of free stickers (12 packs), in which some are taken from Facebook Messenger. The company noted that third parties can also create sticker packs and make them available as apps in Apple’s App Store and Google Play, before WhatsApp can integrate them into its platform.
According to WhatsApp:
To use these stickers, users can tap on the sticker button within the text entry field in a conversation. After that, users will see the sticker packs that are available by default, as well as the packs they've downloaded in a separate list.
"From emoji and camera features to Status and animated GIFs, we're always looking to add new features that make communicating with friends and family on WhatsApp easy and fun. Today, we're excited to introduce a new way for people to express themselves with stickers," the company said in a blog post.
There is also a history tab where users can see all previously used stickers in one place. Similarly, there is a favorites tab which includes all the stickers that users have marked as favorite by pressing the star option after selecting their favorite sticker in a particular chat.
Prior to the update, users were also able to send stickers on WhatsApp, but only by using third-party keyboards such as Google's Gboard. Those stickers however, were sent as an image, not "real" stickers. Therefore, WhatsApp in introducing its own stickers feature is likely to encourage users to send stickers alongside communicating using voice, video, text, and GIFs on the instant messaging app that has over 1.5 billion users worldwide.
The feature is also available on WhatsApp for the web.
Stickers have become something common on messaging platforms. Before that, it was LINE that first pioneered the concept.
As for WhatsApp, the app that was created by Jan Koum, was originally meant to be a straightforward, fast and easy to use messaging app with no gimmick whatsoever.
Since Facebook acquired WhatsApp for a $19 billion price tag, Facebook didn't do anything with it at first. But eventually, the social giant started adding things that its founders never thought would ever come to their app. This includes its own unique 'Stories' feature.
As Facebook's approach to user data, advertising, and encryption didn't appeal its founders, clashes happened between the founders that are devout privacy advocates, and the executives at Facebook. The inner turmoil didn't end well, as the founders left Facebook.