It’s a change that has been described by some as ‘annoying’ but that’s not stopping WhatsApp from rolling out this new feature to millions across the world. The update, which has already started landing on some devices, gets rid of the popular ‘Typing’ word which has long appeared at the top of the chat screen when a friend or family member is replying to a message.
Once the change arrives on iPhone and Android devices, users will suddenly see three bouncing dots instead of that popular ‘Typing’ message. It’s now a bit like Apple’s iMessage that has used the three dot symbol for a number of years.
It might not seem like a big deal but many have headed to social media to vent there anger with one user named Farah saying: “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,” asked Farah in a post on X.
Whilst user Miss How exclaimed, “WhatsApp now has the three dots typing thing like iMessage and I Hateeeee it!”
Despite the backlash, the rollout of new reply indicators will continue at pace with WhatsApp now confirming, “We’re rolling out new Typing Indicators on WhatsApp, a visual update that shows who is present and typing in real-time within the chat screen.
“Now when someone starts typing in a group or 1:1 chat, a visual “…” cue appears at the bottom of the chat along with their profile picture.
“This new indicator helps you quickly see who’s available, typing, and actively engaged in the conversation, making it particularly useful in group chats.”
There’s no full timeline of when it will land on your phone, but it is coming to both iOS and Android soon and there’s sadly nothing you can do to stop it.