Meta has introduced, in the beta version of WhatsApp for Android, a new bottom navigation bar featuring a floating design with rounded corners and greater separation from the bottom edge of the screen. The change, identified in version 2.26.38.10 of the application, aims to modernise the messaging app’s interface and bring it visually closer to the experience available on iOS.
The update was spotted by WABetaInfo, a website specialising in tracking WhatsApp versions and beta tests. According to the publication, the new element features a floating bar with rounded corners, although the design may still undergo changes during the development process.
The update comes approximately three years after WhatsApp overhauled its Android navigation. In 2023, the application moved its main sections — including chats, communities, updates, and calls — to the bottom of the screen, making it easier to switch between the different areas of the service.
Meta is now modifying the same element again, this time with primarily visual changes. The new bar can be displayed in both light and dark mode, with the rounded corners creating a visually distinct area from the rest of the interface.
Despite its inspiration from the iPhone’s design language, WhatsApp is not expected to replicate the iOS version’s appearance in full. The Android interface will continue to follow the platform’s own design guidelines. The feature remains in an early stage of development. According to WABetaInfo, it is not yet available to users enrolled in WhatsApp’s regular beta programme through the Google Play Store.
According to the portal Notícias ao Minuto, the change is part of a broader series of tests Meta has been conducting to refresh the application’s appearance. Among the innovations under development is also an expansion of theme options and conversation colour customisation.
For now, there is no official date for the new navigation bar to reach Android users. Meta has not officially announced the feature, nor has it confirmed whether the current design will be retained in the final version.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=548161
