Popular Messaging App Set to Revamp Chat Interface with New Update
A popular messaging app is set to undergo a significant transformation soon, as it plans to make its Status updates a more integral part of the user interface. The app's Status updates can be likened to Instagram’s Story feature, and they are set to be more prominently displayed within the platform.
Boosting The Status Feature
Despite the fact that the app's Status feature hasn’t been a major element like the Stories feature in other social media platforms, it seems that the company behind the app is on a mission to give it a more central role. In the past few weeks, it was noticed that the latest beta version of the messaging app for Android hinted towards this change, which would place Status updates in the main Chat list view.
Recently, it was also noted that the most recent version of the messaging app available for testing includes references to this proposed change, although users don’t have access to this feature yet.
New Interface and User Experience
If, or most likely when, this change is implemented, users will see a familiar top carousel with a list of Status updates from their contacts. This feature is similar to what users are accustomed to on social media platforms such as Instagram.
However, there is one significant difference. The Status update tray will not be visible by default in the Chats tab. Instead, users will have to pull down from the top of the chat list to reveal it, a feature that mirrors how Stories are accessed on a platform like Telegram.
Based on the information gathered, the interface bears a resemblance to the Stories carousel on Instagram. The first option will be a shortcut for users to post their own Status updates, which will then be followed by the Status updates from their contacts.
How Will It Work?
The tray in the navigation bar is designed to function similarly to the one available in the Updates tab. It will display status updates ranked based on contact relevance, prioritizing the people users interact with most frequently. Therefore, the most important updates will appear first. This will ensure users have quicker access to the most relevant updates.
At the end of the tray, users will find an entry point to view hidden status updates. These are status updates shared by those that have been muted by the user.
Just like on Instagram, the messaging app’s Status updates will disappear after 24 hours. The feature also offers several creative tools that allow users to add stickers, music, and other effects to their posts.
Anticipating The Update
As with most features spotted in the beta versions of the messaging app, there is no official release timeline for this update. However, with the company behind the app now referencing it in both iOS and Android builds, it's likely that it won’t be long before it is officially rolled out to the public.