WhatsApp readies floating navigation bar redesign for Android
WhatsApp is preparing a new bottom navigation bar for its Android app, similar to the iPhone version, though no release date has been announced.
Android users of WhatsApp may soon see a different look in the app. The interface is set to change for Android users, which will also alter the everyday experience of using it. The company is preparing to introduce a new design for the bottom navigation bar of the Android app. The new bar is said to resemble the interface of WhatsApp on the iPhone. The Android design, however, will follow Google's design guidelines.
The change has so far been spotted at the development stage in WhatsApp Beta for Android version 2.26.38.10. This means the update has not yet been made available to all beta users, and it may take a long time to reach ordinary users. There has been no official announcement on when the design will be available to users.
In the new design, the bottom navigation bar will look slightly different from the rest of the screen. It will have rounded corners on all four sides, so it may look like a floating bar. It will give a more modern look than the current navigation.
The change may cover not only the shape of the bar but also the visual design of its tabs and controls. The new design is said to be more clearly visible in the light theme, while the change may be less noticeable in the dark theme.
The new Android design is said to be similar to the floating tab bar of the iPhone app. On iOS, WhatsApp has introduced floating and rounded navigation elements in line with Apple's new Liquid Glass design. A similar floating concept may be seen on Android too.
Even so, the iPhone design will not be copied as it is into the Android app. WhatsApp will follow separate design principles for Android. So even if the navigation experience feels similar on both platforms, their visual designs will differ.
About three years ago, WhatsApp moved the main sections of its Android app to the bottom navigation. With beta version 2.23.10.6, the Chats, Communities, Updates and Calls sections were moved to the bottom of the screen, making it easier for users to move from one section to another. The company is now working on giving the same navigation bar a new look. It has not yet announced when the new design will reach users.
