Many of us might not remember a time before WhatsApp, and while the likes of BlackBerry Messenger ran so WhatsApp could crawl, how many of you have WhatsApp installed right now with a ton of unread messages?
Whether it be sending messages, voice notes, pictures, or memes, WhatsApp is the one-stop shop that's managed to unite Apple and Android in these troubled times. Although Instagram is by far the most downloaded app in Q2 of 2024 (boasting 182.8 million downloads across the Google Play and Apple App Store), WhatsApp is fourth behind this, Facebook, and TikTok.
The WhatsApp of 2024 looks a little different from what it did when it was released way back in 2009. It’s wild to think that back in the day, status pings and the ability to send pictures were seen as groundbreaking features.
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Unfortunately, WhatsApp has gone down the Apple route and changed a fan-favorite feature that we know and love. Previously, WhatsApp would tell if you someone is online or 'typing' under their name at the top of the screen.
Taking a leaf out of iMessage's book, you'll now be able to tell when someone is replying because three bouncing dots will appear next to the last message you sent.
Hating the new look, someone grumbled: "The new WhatsApp typing animation seems purposely designed to give me anxiety."
Someone else added: "WhatsApp typing bubble making me feel like interrogation? When there’s two people typing in a gc??? Who's good cop, bad cop? Because either way, I'm INNOCENT!"
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Another concluded: "Hello @WhatsApp can we just go back to so and so is typing? This dot dot dot bouncing up and down is getting to be annoying."
There were some supporters out there, but with most begging for their old typing feature back, it's proving divisive.
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As more people get used to the bouncing dots, it seems unlikely that Meta will return to the old ways of 'typing'. After all, it took years for WhatsApp to realize it should be capitalized as 'Typing', and now, it's gone.
There's been a flurry of Instagram-esque features introduced, with the harshest critics saying that WhatsApp is now Instagram but green - giving us some serious Elphaba from Wicked vibes.
WhatsApp is at least doing some things right, and with another recent update adding transcripts of voice notes, you can finally read what someone is saying for those times you can't understand or forget your headphones and daren't play a voice note out loud.
We were previously warned that WhatsApp chat bubbles were changing, but still, it's frustrating that the UI keeps changing faster than we can keep up with.