Meta Messaging has introduced a new color scheme and other changes through an update.
If you use Whatsapp, you may have noticed a change in colors on the Meta app. The messaging service officially announced Thursday, May 9, the deployment of updates to give it “a new look, while keeping it familiar and easy to use” on X (formerly Twitter).
“Over the years, we have mainly focused on adding features to the app. As the product grew in features, the design had to evolve as well,” said Idit Yaniv, Head of the design of Whatsapp, in a blog article.
New look and more intuitive use
With these updates, Whatsapp is putting more emphasis on green on iOS and Android. “We considered over 35 different color iterations, ultimately aligning with WhatsApp’s iconic green and opting for a palette that allows for harmonious color combinations throughout the app,” said Idit Yaniv.
Concretely, on iPhone, the notification badges or buttons have changed from blue to green. They already appeared green on Android smartphones, but with a different shade.
Another change on the Android version of Whatsapp: the tab bar is no longer at the top with a green background, but at the bottom with a white or black background depending on the theme chosen by the user. With this change, the messaging intends to “help users find what they need more quickly”.
“Placing the tabs closer to the thumbs provides more natural navigation,” adds Idit Yaniv.
Moving the navigation bar also allowed Whatsapp to place filters (“all”, “unread”, “groups”) at the top of conversations so users could “quickly find the right chats without having to scroll their entire inbox.”
At the request of users, Whatsapp has also “darkened by one tone” its dark mode. “We focused on higher contrast and deeper tones to reduce eye strain in low-light environments,” explained Idit Yaniv, adding that this also helps improve readability. Finally, the app updated its icons for a more rounded style and added new animations “for a more playful aesthetic.”
