WhatsApp Android beta gets inline image style for notifications; Biscuit sticker pack coming soon

As Android 9 Pie is now officially available for the Pixel lineup of smartphones, WhatsApp appears to have started testing its support for the MessagingStyle inline images in the notification panel. Earlier too, the inline images were seen in the notifications but now it looks like it supports the MessagingStyle notification format.

As per a report by Android Police, WhatsApp appears to be testing the feature in the beta versions of the app. Another feature that has been spotted by @WABetaInfo in the Android beta version of the app is the new sticker pack known as Biscuit.

New design for inline messages

Going by the report, the Android beta version 2.18.291 appears to have received the new design for the inline messages in the notifications. This feature is said to work on the devices that run Android 9 Pie. It looks like it will let the image notifications expand and collapse to show the preview of the images you received on WhatsApp. The other messages you have received will be displayed above and below the preview of the image.

Notably, the report adds that this will not work for GIFs and videos and such files will show up in a small icon that will notify the user when they have received it. And, users will not be able to expand or collapse the same. Only photos shared in a group can be expanded for preview. And, when collapsed, the same will shift to the right with the group icon next to it.

Given that this will feature will run only on Android 9 Pie devices, the Android devices with the Android beta version of the app running Oreo or other older iterations of the OS will not be able to get this feature.

Biscuit sticker pack

In a separate report as mentioned above, the app is said to have received a new sticker pack called Biscuit. It is yet to be rolled out to the users and is disabled by default. It is a popular sticker pack in Messenger and is soon to make its way to WhatsApp as well.