WhatsApp could be about to get a new stylish update
WhatsApp made quite a splash a few weeks ago when it abruptly updated the design of its app on iOS to include almost entirely green buttons and notifications - a radical departure from the light blue that millions of users had become accustomed to.
Now, though, a new change in the pipeline might be music to the ears of anyone who found that the change was a little too much, too soon.
WABetaInfo, a site which tracks additions to beta versions of WhatsApp, has reported that WhatsApp is testing new customization options for its chats.
This won't let you change those ever-present green notes in every case, but it could mean that you will have some new choices for how your chats look.
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In particular, you'll seemingly be able to change the color of actual chat bubbles in your app, selecting from a few options that are all designed to maintain readability and clarity.
These changes might, in fact, all be coming purely for accessibility reasons, as WhatsApp adds more high-contrast options to help partially-sighted or colorblind users to read their messages more easily. Better contrast can make it way easier to read text by putting it against the right background.
Often smartphones have these settings at a system level, too, but it's really helpful for users when individual apps also provide a range of choices to make things easier.
Still, the changes look like they could be nice even for those who would just be using them for aesthetic reasons, and they're seemingly being tested already.
That said, as anyone who's seen leaks on WABetaInfo before will already know, there's absolutely no guarantee that these make it to real app users.
WhatsApp, like many other apps on the market, is constantly testing new ideas and features to see if they work as they imagined, and while plenty of these do eventually go live for everyone after further tweaks, others simply disappear.
Even if they do make it through to the live and public app, that also might take longer than you'd expect - it can sometimes take months or even years for features to go from testing to widespread availability.
That's not to say chat bubble color customization won't ever come out; it could even appear next week for everyone to enjoy - but there's no guarantee in this case.
WhatsApp hasn't said anything public about the feature, either, so we don't have an official ETA of any sort to rely on.
Still, if it does arrive it will doubtless be a welcome new way to customize your app to your tastes, so here's hoping!