WhatsApp design Journey over the years: 2011 to 2024
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Image: WhatsApp |
Since its inception in 2011, WhatsApp, a living giant in the social media world, has undergone a remarkable transformation in historical innovation. The most popular messaging platform demonstrates its commitment to the best user experience through design innovation, from a simple rich text interface to the world's best chatting user-friendly interface. Earlier on Thursday, Meta finally redesigned its user interface after a three year-long hiatus and introduced newly redesigned tools and a user-friendly UI. Let's take a look at WhatsApp's amazing design journey:
2011: The Gentle Beginnings
In 2011, WhatsApp introduced the first version with a minimalist design, focusing on easy interaction with the user. This version was very simple and easy to use. People were only able to chat and there were no features like calls, video calls and multimedia sharing. The design of the chat was just as comfortable, with a modified blue top bar, a new chat button, and a simple search bar in the navigation bar with a gray color. The bottom bar adopted a black color and provides the user with these options: Favorites, Status, Contacts, Chats, and an iOS-specific Settings button.
The chat interface was dominated by a white background and black chat. The profile picture comes with a square shape layout. This initial design was very basic, focusing more on functionality than aesthetics.
2012-2013: Introduction of a new color
The year WhatsApp decided to gently move towards a more pleasant interface. It was 2013, when the giant social media platform recently hit 200 million active users, so enhancing the user experience was the need of the hour. The update was come with a redesign of its UI and further changes in colors with very little WhatsApp unique green color in the fonts.
Unread message icon was now displayed with green color. The top bar was now grayed out with the heading "Chat" and on the top right, a search icon and an edit chat icon were available. The chat interface became more user-friendly and a more organized layout for messages.
Other Features: Bring green color to fonts, introduction of smiley drawer (emoji) at bottom left with text input (type message) box, image preview was now bigger, and prominent send button.
2014-2019: Material Design and Introduction of New Features
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| Image: GSMArena |
With the introduction of Material Design in 2014, WhatsApp fulfilled the most awaited design update demanded by the avid user. It was said to be a significant design leap from the previous version. This app version adopts a more modern, card-based interface with a focus on typography. The interface was changed to a green and white combination just like a normal WhatsApp logo. The top bar was filled with search, new chat, and three dots (for managing accounts) icons. The update also brings changes to the navigation bar, including new calls, chats and contacts sections.
The chat interface had also been redesigned with the introduction of a new call icon in the top bar, which includes an "Attach" feature for sharing multimedia, such as photos, videos, location, audio and contacts. . The bottom bar also had a new voice and camera icon for voice messages and multimedia sharing, respectively. The biggest update to its security end-to-end encryption was also brought by WhatsApp in 2016. WhatsApp has also redesigned the navigation bar (Camera, Chats, Status, and Calls) sections, and the new Chat has also been placed at the bottom right.
Other Features: Provide Audio and Video Calling functionality, Sharing Multimedia, Introduction of new emojis and visual elements, Introduction of Status ( same as Instagram Story) in 2017, and Live location sharing in 2018.
2020-2023: Dark Mode, Improved Navigation Bar and Much More
In the period 2020-2023, WhatsApp brought mighty features to enhance the user experience and provide enriched navigation. This period was a tough period due to the pandemic but still the giant company provided the consumers with mighty functionalities and Personalization. The billions of user apps adopted a new way of chatting 一 Dark mode provided a safe interface during a low night conversation. This ensured the user's eye health and also provided a preference control over the app.
The settings menu has also improved. Later in 2022, the Communities section also got its position on the navigation bar. Later in 2023, WhatsApp also improved its user security by introducing a new way to access chat by using Chat Lock. In June, WhatsApp also introduced a new Channels section under the Updates Bar.
2024: Refreshed Design For iOS and Android
Earlier Thursday, WhatsApp announced a new and improved layout design for both iOS and Android. The tech giant called it a " Darker dark mode". The new look is so enchanting and delightful and welcomed by users. The purpose of this new update is to enhance user navigation and WhatsApp expressed it in this way "updated layout and icons that that help you find what you need faster". Recently, the tab bar is also moved to the bottom of the screen, like on iPhone users using it from a long time.
WhatsApp said,
"We aim to create an app that not only works seamlessly but also feels like a natural extension of your phone — allowing you to focus on the conversations that matter in your daily life". Further added, "We believe success is achieved when our design enhances how people communicate on WhatsApp and empowers them to connect in new ways".
The new layout design on both iOS and Android "promotes more contrast than dark tones to reduce eye strain in low-light environments". Chats icons are also updated with rounded shapes and The styles are outlined with a completely white background.
Other Features: App Customer sticker creation, Search-by-Date, Chat Filter Options, Meta AI, Formula Race car Emoji.