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WhatsApp updates all Android smartphones with bottom navigation tabs

WhatsApp is now bringing a significant change to the app's user interface on Android smartphones. The Meta-owned messaging service has announced that the four navigation tabs at the top of the screen have been moved to the bottom. The updated visual interface was enabled in the beta version of the app for the past few months and is now being enabled for all users. The new design will make it easier for users to switch between tabs while using the phone with one hand.

In a post by X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp announced the rollout of the new bottom navigation bar on Android. The service posted images of the old interface, which had four tabs — Community, Chats, Status and Calls — above the list of chats. With the latest update, users will see those tabs move to the bottom with icons, while the order can be rearranged.

It's one of the most significant changes to WhatsApp's interface for Android in a while, and puts the app's main navigation tabs within reach of your thumb — especially handy if you only have one hand free. However, you still have to reach the top of the screen if you want to search for something. WhatsApp for iOS also shows tabs at the bottom of the screen — there's a fifth one for the settings menu

While the bottom navigation tabs may finally roll out to users after months of testing in the beta channel, WhatsApp is busy developing more features that could make their way into the app in the future. The messaging service is reportedly developing the ability to make international payments through the app using NPCI's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in India.

The messaging service is also working on adding new AI-powered features to the app. WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that will allow users to provide text prompts to create stickers using artificial intelligence (AI) in the app. Similarly, WhatsApp was recently seen developing an AI-powered image editing feature and a feature to ask meta AI questions through the search bar on WhatsApp. These features are yet to be rolled out to users in the stable and beta version of WhatsApp.