What you need to know
- The latest WhatsApp beta version for Android hints at changes to the status updates tray, which might feature larger preview windows.
- When the redesign goes live, contacts' updates will appear in a Facebook-style setup.
- The redesign is still in development, not yet available to beta testers.
Meta appears to be testing out larger previews for WhatsApp Status updates, so you can decide if a story's worth peeking at.
WABetaInfo has discovered that WhatsApp is sprucing up the Updates tab based on new evidence found in the latest WhatsApp beta for Android (version 2.24.4.23). The latest release hints at a makeover in the works for the status update tray.
The tray stays at the top of the Updates tab, but it might feature bigger preview windows. This means you can breeze through everyone's first story without tapping on each one.
According to WABetaInfo, the redesign is still under development and not up for grabs, even if you're on the beta version. So, having the latest update doesn't guarantee you'll see the new design just yet.
When this makeover goes live, your contacts' updates will pop up in a Facebook-style setup. Currently, the Status section displays a circular icon with the user's profile picture, lined up in a horizontal scroll, but no actual previews.
With the potential revamp, Status updates will line up in a horizontal scroll, showing off big previews. It's all about the content, not just the person's display picture. This way, you can quickly decide which updates to check out or skip. And if there are several status updates, you can catch a glimpse of the first one right in the preview.
Apart from its instant messaging roots, WhatsApp is aiming for a full-on community experience. Like many of our favorite messaging apps, the Meta-owned platform has embraced features like stories and channels to level up engagement and keep users hooked.
WhatsApp has been mostly shaking things up for its Channels feature, which made a splash last year. The most recent Channels update introduces the ability to share Channel posts as your status.
Meanwhile, the new experiment may finally address user complaints about the not-so-user-friendly Status update layout in the future.
