# WhatsApp developing AI photo expansion for Android 2026-08-19T14:46:30+00:00 | Technology | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets WhatsApp is working on a new AI-powered feature that will let Android users expand photos to a 9:16 format using Meta AI. The feature was spotted in the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.33.2 by the tracking site WABetaInfo, as reported by Gadgets360 and Times Now News. The tool will be available inside the drawing editor. Meta AI will analyse the original image and generate new content around its edges, rather than simply stretching the picture. This aims to create a natural extension of the scene to fit the 9:16 aspect ratio. The feature is still under development and WhatsApp has not announced a public release date or supported regions. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both sources report the same factual details from the WABetaInfo leak, with no government or political angle. Times Now News provides slightly more technical explanation, while Gadgets360 is more concise. Neither source attributes independent testing or an official statement from WhatsApp. The measured takeaway is that this is a routine beta feature leak, the key unknown is when or if it will reach the stable app. Watch for an announcement from Meta on a rollout timeline. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - gadgets360.com (neutral report) Straightforward reporting of a leaked beta feature, no slant. - timesnownews.com (neutral report) Reports same leak with slightly more detail, no opinion or judgement. This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-19T15:31:23+00:00. Tags: Android, Meta AI, WhatsApp Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/whatsapp-testing-meta-ai-to-expand-photos-to-916/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/whatsapp-testing-meta-ai-to-expand-photos-to-916/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/