New navigation bar for WhatsApp more widely available, also in the Netherlands
The new navigation bar in WhatsApp was recently tested with a small group of people using WhatsApp Beta. That small group has now expanded considerably. A large number of WhatsApp beta testers now have the navigation bar at the bottom of the app.
The navigation bar in WhatsApp is now at the bottom of the app
WhatsApp is currently working on a notable change to the navigation bar in the app. Not only will the new variant look different, but it will also get a new position in WhatsApp. In recent years, many users have asked for a navigation bar similar to the one in WhatsApp for iOS. This bar is at the bottom of the app, while the current bar in the Android app is still at the top. It appears that WhatsApp has listened to this feedback and is working to implement these important changes in the near future.
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Placing the navigation bar at the bottom of the app will make it much easier to reach the various options, especially for people who often use their phone with one hand. In addition, the Communities will be more visible, not only via an icon, but also with a text label. This means that you will soon see a revamped navigation bar at the bottom of WhatsApp. There you will successively find Chats, Communities, Status and Calls.
There is also bad news
The new navigation bar in WhatsApp also comes with a major drawback. It is no longer possible to swipe between the different options in the bar. This is possible in the ‘old’ navigation bar at the top of the app. So you have to tap on an option to switch to it.
WhatsApp hardly ever changes such important parts in its app. The last major design change was in 2015, when the app transitioned to Material You. So you will understand that this is a big step, and there will be many supporters but also opponents.
At the editorial office, the new navigation bar is already partly there, in both the beta version and the stable version of the app. What do you think of the new navigation bar at the bottom of WhatsApp? Do you already have it? Let us know in the comments below this article, we are curious.
