WhatsApp is currently experimenting with a new feature for its iOS app designed to incorporate augmented reality (AR) functionalities, as reported by a feature monitoring service. This innovative aspect aims to enhance video calls by allowing users to adjust elements like lighting and background settings. The beta update, which introduces this feature, is also expected to come with real-time touch-up filters, along with a specific low-light mode for improved visibility during calls.

The feature tracker, WABetaInfo, indicated that AR functionality was initially detected in the Android beta version 2.24.16.7 in July. Now, it has made its way to iOS with the recent beta update for WhatsApp, version 24.15.10.70, available through Apple's TestFlight program.

Recent screenshots reveal that the augmented reality amenities on WhatsApp feature dynamic facial filters. Users will reportedly have the ability to adjust their appearance, including altering the overall color tone of their video feed. Moreover, there’s an editing tool that allows users to blur their background or swap it for a preset background option provided by the messaging service.

Furthermore, the beta update for WhatsApp on iOS is expected to provide two distinct modes: touch-up and low-light. The touch-up mode is designed to enhance the user’s facial features by eliminating minor imperfections and smoothing the skin, similar to beauty filters found on various smartphones. The low-light mode, on the other hand, is intended to improve clarity in darker settings.

This feature is currently in the development stage, and only available to beta testers who have signed up via Apple's TestFlight. Expansion to a broader user base is anticipated in the coming weeks.

Besides the ongoing AR developments, WhatsApp has also recently broadened its sticker selection with the addition of GIPHY-powered stickers, enabling users to search for relevant options without leaving the app. Additionally, the custom sticker creator introduced in January for iOS is now accessible for Android users as well.

If users are unable to locate a fitting sticker from the existing library, they have the option to create their own using Meta AI, the conversational artificial intelligence assistant available across Meta Platforms’ applications, including WhatsApp and Instagram.