WhatsApp, the messaging platform owned by Meta, is continuously enhancing user engagement through the introduction of new features. The app is currently in the process of updating its user interface for Android devices, aiming to align more closely with the design used in iOS. This change is anticipated to facilitate a smoother transition for users switching between Android and iOS. The forthcoming update will implement a bottom navigation bar within the Android application, a feature seen in the WhatsApp beta version 2.23.8.4.
A report from WABetaInfo, a site dedicated to tracking WhatsApp’s development, reveals that the new design will include a redesigned navigation bar, mirroring that of the iOS version. This adjustment aims to enhance user experience by allowing quicker access to essential features such as chats, calls, communities, and status updates right from the bottom navigation bar.
Screengrabs shared by the update tracker illustrate the upcoming interface, indicating four main options in the bottom navigation bar: Chats, Communities, Status, and Calls. Currently, discrepancies exist between the user interfaces of the Android and iOS versions of WhatsApp. This new feature will be introduced in the ongoing beta testing of the Android version 2.23.8.4.
At this time, WhatsApp has not provided official commentary regarding this interface update, and the timeline for its release to beta testers remains uncertain. Users can expect the new UI to debut in a future app update.
In addition to UI modifications, it has also been reported that WhatsApp is developing a feature enabling Android users to secure specific chats with a fingerprint or passcode. This capability will allow users to lock and conceal private conversations, ensuring that protected chats do not automatically save media files such as images and videos in the device’s gallery.
