The messaging giant WhatsApp has been doing its best for a long time to provide users with an improved experience. All users are well aware that WhatsApp did not have profile pictures in group chats for a long time. Only participants’ names or phone numbers were used to appear above the messages they sent. However, the fact is that most smartphone screens are now larger than before. So, in August 2022, WhatsApp started testing profile pictures in group chats before stopping the test. The point worth mentioning is that WhatsApp testing has since resumed. Now the messaging giant is testing a new group of WhatsApp chat icons for people without profile pictures.
New WhatsApp chat icons are on their way
According to the latest reports from WABetaInfo, the WhatsApp group chats show the participant’s initial against a multi-colored background when no profile picture is visible. This feature is included in beta version 2.23.15.9 of the WhatsApp Android app. The good part is that the icon color associated with certain participants has not changed. Only the silhouette of a person is replaced by the participant’s initial.
No doubt this change is relatively subtle. However, it will help you associate the original color combination with the sender more easily than just the color alone. Plus, from an inclusive perspective, the new feature is a thoughtful addition. It is expected that many WhatsApp users will suffer from color blindness or other visual impairments, so it would prove to be a useful feature for them. When the messaging platform displays the initials instead of a generic avatar, the phone number/name displayed above each image may be removed. WhatsApp message received in a group conversation.
