WhatsApp is making changing to the Android version of its mobile app that will finally bring it in line with just about every other messaging and communication platforms out there.
Meta has just given Android users who are signed up for the WhatsApp beta program a new indicator that makes it easier to see at a glance which contacts are online. Borrowing a scheme that will be familiar to just about everyone, WhatsApp now shows a green dot next to online contacts.
While this is most definitely a welcome addition, it is difficult not to wonder just how it took so long for Meta to release that this system was needed. Previously – and, indeed, currently for anyone who is not part of the beta program – the only way to see who is online was to open an existing chat with them.
The new approach sees the addition of the green dot to contact details, as explained by WABetaInfo:
The Contacts hub is still under development, and it is not yet available to users. However, WhatsApp is now introducing the green dot starting with the chat info screen. We discovered the news after installing the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.24.5 update, which is available on the Google Play Store. Specifically, WhatsApp is rolling out the green dot for online contacts to some beta testers.
The green dot is an indicator that appears on a contact’s profile photo when they are currently active. It is a common pattern used by many messaging and social apps to communicate real-time availability without requiring any interaction. The green dot makes this information visible at a glance, without opening a conversation to check. On WhatsApp, a contact appears as online when they have the app open and when their privacy settings allow others to see their online status. With the latest update, WhatsApp is introducing the green dot in the chat info screen.
It is clear that the new system still needs a degree of work – in its current rough form it will not satsify everyone by any means. But it is good to see that Meta is making progress in this area, introducing user-friendly changes that make so much sense.