WhatsApp redesign for its call screen UI

  WhatsApp testing a redesign for its calling screen UI

WhatsApp usually nails all the essential features of a proper messaging app including group chats, broadcasts, communities, voice, video. However, as versatile as popular as the app is, WhatsApp's user interface can sometimes feel having outdated experience. Fortunately, it looks like Meta is listening and doing something about it. Following are the some important points:-

Recent beta tests show an upcoming UI refresh for the call screen, including a new bottom bar design and minimize button.

 The changes aim to make app behaviour more consistent and iconography clearer, enhancing user experience overall.

WhatsApp offers various modern communication tools for free, making it a favourite messaging app like Telegram and Signal. 

WhatsApp gives users every modern communication tool imaginable, including group chats, broadcast messaging through channels, topical group interactions with communities, and voice and video calling, all for free. These features make it one of our favourite instant messaging apps on Android, just like Telegram, Signal and Discord. We have a few concerns about Meta’s management of the app, and UI design updates are one of them. UI changes have been popping up in the beta version of WhatsApp for a while now. However, those changes were exclusive to particular parts of the interface, such as previews, bars, and other smaller elements. The calling screen, though, remained the same throughout all of that. It appears WhatsApp is taking note and finally refreshing the design, this time for the call screen.

As per reports available, the latest WhatsApp beta for Android (version 2.24.7.19), shows a revamped calling screen that promises a smoother, more intuitive experience. The biggest change is subtle, but it could fix a major problem. Back button in the top left corner is gone. Instead, WhatsApp introduces a proper minimize button. Same function, but way more intuitive. In the last few months, beta testers have spotted WhatsApp testing several interface updates, like status previews and the swipeable navigation bar we loved. However, the call screen has remained largely unchanged since one the latest of the few major overhauls it has received since the feature debuted in 2015.

The Meta beta testing a new call screen UI in version 2.23.17.16. The new design replaces the Back button with a Minimize button, to represent what happens when you tap it more accurately. It is possible people may presume the Back button would also end the call, but it doesn't, and the voice call is simply minimized to the top bar of the app. Additionally, the buttons are very distinctly designed to separate them visually from the rest of the screen. Judging by the screenshot above, the new buttons don't leave any room for misinterpretation. It is a small yet thoughtful design change that can make all the difference. 

The current UI shows up when a person or participants of a group answer your call, and it has a few key elements, such as a central profile picture preview (in voice calls). Beta testers are seeing a new bottom bar and buttons. There’s an option to add more participants to the call in the upper right corner. This is important because the old back button led to a lot of confusion. Because it was ambiguous, many users thought that by clicking on this back button they were ending the call entirely. Obviously, that was not the case, but with this new minimize option you get a clearer indication that by tapping it you're just tucking the call screen away, not hanging up. All other controls are available in a card-like bottom bar. 

Meanwhile, reports also sighted a change in the bottom bar as well, with Meta switching to a floating island instead of a bottom sheet-like design. You may also note there’s a three-dot overflow menu button replacing the arrow in the current design. This means WhatsApp may discard the swipe up gesture to expand the bottom sheet and relegate all secondary functions to an overflow menu instead. Moreover, every icon in the new island-style bar gets its own circular outline. Since the new call controls seem to float in a layer above the profile picture preview, screenshots reveal the bar will also float above the other participant’s video feed when you’re on a video call. WhatsApp has also tweaked the UI requesting you to switch from a voice to a video call. This eliminates round buttons you had to swipe to accept and tap to decline, with pill-shaped buttons with consistent tap-to-accept/decline behaviour.

The changes lead us to believe the incoming voice and video call screens in the app could change as well. All these UI changes are a step in the right direction because they make the app more convenient, and the iconography better represents the function of the buttons. A touch of modernization is the cherry on top. WhatsApp's clearly serious about making the calling experience as painless as possible. This isn't the most earth-shattering update, but it shows they're listening to how people actually use the app and tweaking things accordingly. Sometimes, the best features are the ones that get out of your way. We cannot wait for this design change to exit the beta testing phase and reach everyone in the stable channel.