WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.23.12.8.
What’s new in this update? WhatsApp is working on a redesigned keyboard with the emoji category bar, and it will be available in a future update of the app!
| Common questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature? | Redesigned keyboard |
| Status? | Under development |
| Availability? | WhatsApp is working on bringing a redesigned keyboard to a future update of the app. |
| I’ve installed this update but I don’t have this feature. Why? | This feature is in development so it’s not ready for the release, but you can discover a preview in this article. |
| Previous news? | WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.11.0.74: what’s new? WhatsApp is releasing the first version of the new Updates tab! |
REDESIGNED KEYBOARD
In the article about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.9.2 update, we shared information about a new feature under development: a redesigned keyboard. When this feature will be available, users can experiment with an enhanced experience while using the keyboard on WhatsApp. The feature is still in development but, thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.12.8 update available on the Google Play Store, we discovered further improvements for this feature:
In the previous article where we initially announced this feature, we explained that the emoji category bar that allows users to easily access different categories of emojis was not available with the redesigned keyboard. The feature was still under development, so maybe the emoji category bar was not yet implemented when we discovered the feature. Fortunately, things can always change when a feature is in development, as we indicated in the previous article: as you can see in the attached screenshot, the redesigned keyboard now also includes the emoji category bar, which we believe is really important in an instant messaging application.
With this feature, the tabs that provide easy access to other keyboard functionalities (including GIF and sticker selection) will be moved upwards. In addition, there are some plans regarding the chat bar: the attachment sharing buttons and the emoji keyboard button will be relocated to align with the style of WhatsApp Desktop and WhatsApp for iOS.
The redesigned keyboard is under development and it will be released in a future update of the app. As always, we will keep you up to date by posting another article when we have further details about this feature to share with you.
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