WhatsApp is one of the best instant messaging apps available out there. With over a billion users actively depending on it, the service has become very popular in many regions. In fact, it has almost replaced SMS in several countries across the world. Lately, Meta has been actively developing this platform, introducing visual changes and notable features in the process. For example, users can hide their online status, create larger group chats, and more. Now, WhatsApp Statuses (also known as Stories) are starting to appear in the main chat list for users running the latest beta versions on iOS and Android.
As the screenshots above reveal, WhatsApp Statuses are now appearing in the main chat list for some beta users. The dedicated Status tab remains accessible from the navigation bar. So the new user interface (UI) change only acts as a shortcut -- rather than a replacement to the aforementioned tab. It very much reminds us of the Direct Messages UI on Instagram.
This new change is available for select WhatsApp beta testers. Considering it's a server-side rollout, there's seemingly no way for you to force it. You just have to be patient until the company releases it to more users. If you already see it but aren't fan of it, there's a workaround you might want to consider -- muting.
Unfortunately, you would need to manually mute the status updates for each contact individually. So there's still no way for WhatsApp users to hide all Statuses from the chat list automatically. While this might annoy some users, the company is likely trying to get more people to take advantage of this feature -- by placing it in the tab we use the most.
What do you think of this change? Do you like it, or do you think it's too intrusive? Let us know in the comments section below.
Source: WABetaInfo