WhatsApp logo
Credit: Reuters File Photo
On any regular day, WhatsApp supports over 100 billion messages and two billion calls. However, on New Year's eve, Meta-owned platform explodes with a record volume of call and texts, more than thrice, sometimes even more compared the average day usage.
With just a couple of days left before people ring in the New Year 2026, WhatsApp has announced an update featuring fun new features to make the experience more engaging for subscribers while exchanging greetings with friends and family.
It has introduced a 2026 sticker pack with creative bubbly characters, which makes texting on WhatsApp more engaging.
Meta-owned entity has also introduced video call effects. Users can tap the effects icon during a video call to add fireworks, confetti, and star animations that light up the screen during a conference call.
WhatsApp's new features.
Credit: Meta
Further, it also offers animated confetti-inspired emoji reactions to messages.
And, for the first time, WhatsApp is bringing animated stickers to Status. Users will find a special 2026 layout with an animated sticker to help them ring in the New Year.
In a related development, WhatsApp is testing the integration of Meta's generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI)-powered Imagine tool into the Status update feature.
With this, users can edit images by adding more visual effects, styles, reworking image elements, or completely reconceptualising photos to make them more appealing and engaging for followers.
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