WhatsApp is testing a redesigned interface for its Android app that changes how users move between sections, according to reports from GSMArena.com and other outlets. The change centers on a floating navigation bar, a layout the messaging app already uses on iOS, Moneycontrol.com reports. TelecomTalk describes the test as a cleaner navigation bar redesign.
According to Inshorts, the redesigned bar is more noticeable when the app is set to its light theme. Business Today reports the feature is being tested as a new way to navigate on Android. The reports do not specify which app version carries the test or how many users can see it.
The redesign would bring the Android app's navigation closer to the iOS version, where a floating bar is already in place, per Moneycontrol.com. Coverage of the test has appeared across several technology and telecom publications, though WhatsApp parent company Meta has not been cited in the reports as confirming the change.
As with most WhatsApp features, a test does not guarantee a wider rollout. What to watch next is whether the floating bar moves beyond limited testing and reaches Android users generally, and whether Meta comments on the design change.
