WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.23.13.9.
What’s new in this update? WhatsApp is releasing a feature that allows users to swipe between tabs and rounded menus, and they are available to some lucky beta testers!
| Common questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature? | Tab swiping |
| Status? | Rolling out |
| Compatibility? | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.13.9 is marked as a compatible update, but rounded menus may also be available to some users by installing the previous update of the app. |
| I’ve installed this update but I don’t have these features. Why? | These features are available to some lucky beta testers, and they are rolling out to even more people over the coming weeks. |
| Thanks for testing and reporting: | Tab swiping: kingcyrious and TheFlash20. Rounded menus: rubiokarim, Saadh Jawwadh, Sc, A7mad, and GoldenPizza. |
| Previous news? | Google confirms fix to their dashboard, and that WhatsApp privacy was not affected! |
TAB SWIPING
In the article about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.10.6 update, we announced that a tweaked interface was available to some lucky beta testers. With this interface, WhatsApp was bringing a bottom navigation bar to the application, making it easier for users to switch to different tabs right from the bottom of the screen. A lot of users appreciated the redesigned interface. However, some people complained because WhatsApp removed the ability to swipe between tabs, making the navigation less intuitive for those users that were accustomed to the previous version. After installing the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.13.9 update from the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is rolling out the ability to swipe between tabs to some lucky beta testers!
As you can see in this video, WhatsApp finally added a feature that allows users to switch to a different tab by using the usual gesture. The introduction of this feature is likely a response to extensive user feedback. While there have been a lot of requests in the past to implement a bottom navigation bar following the guidelines of Material Design 3, several users expressed dissatisfaction when they realized that swiping between tabs was no longer possible. This feature was removed as it did not align with the guidelines of Material Design 3, which discourage its implementation. However, it appears that WhatsApp has made an exception to this rule in order to cater to user preferences and enhance their experience by implementing this feature again.
WhatsApp introduced several improvements to the interface in order to support Material Design 3. After installing the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.13.4 update, they released redesigned switches and floating action buttons that reflect the Material Design 3 guidelines. In addition, after installing this update, some users may finally experiment with rounded menus that align with the principles of Material Design 3: just open any menu to discover if this feature is enabled for your WhatsApp account!
The feature that provides users with the ability to swipe between tabs and rounded menus are available to some lucky beta testers that install the latest WhatsApp beta for Android update from the Google Play Store, and they are rolling out to even more people over the coming weeks.
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