WhatsApp has caused controversy with its latest update… but that’s nothing compared to what’s coming down the track early next year. Yes, the most popular chat app on the planet has replaced its tried-and-tested “Typing…” message with a bubble with three bouncing dots — mirroring the design used in Apple’s iMessage service.
The shake-up has been slowly rolling out to the more than 2 billion people who use WhatsApp worldwide. However, it was only confirmed by the US company, which is owned by Meta — the same parent company behind Instagram, Meta Quest, and Facebook — at the tail end of last week.
WhatsApp’s new animation displays across both iPhone and Android.
It deploys whenever someone in the chat is currently typing. Now, that might not sound like a big shake-up… but the reaction on social media has been fierce. One user on Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, posted: “WHATSAPP GET RID OF THAT DOT DOT DOT NOW!!!”
would be v grateful if someone could assassinate the person who coded the new three dots typing indicator on whatsapp
— s (@treezhr) December 6, 2024
Whatsapp bring back “typing…” asap!!!! At least make it configurable from the settings to choose between typing and three dots @WhatsApp
— bby lion (@missmsbhv) December 5, 2024
No wayyy WhatsApp removed typing and added this….😭😭 pic.twitter.com/M0rO1WFleV
— Krishna Khatri (@KrishnaCKhatri) November 21, 2024
WHATSAPP GET RID OF THAT DOT DOT DOT NOW!!!
— 🩻📎. (@kenestweets) December 5, 2024
WhatsApp having the three dots for chats is gonna make me want to delete it. Fok man. Can’t I type in private
— frida kahlmeltoe (@khaydott) December 5, 2024
I need the ‘typing…’ feature back on WhatsApp! I cannot handle this anxiety
Does anyone know how to downgrade an app on iOS? pic.twitter.com/lNy7JjDYNE
— Sudeep 🐼 (@SudeepSonawane) December 4, 2024
“Eeeeeeeeeee that new WhatsApp update where it as the 3 dots when typing like on Instagram is a f**king disgrace,” another shared in a post on X. While another social media user had an even more violent reaction to the tweak to the typing indicator, sharing: “would be v grateful if someone could assassinate the person who coded the new three dots typing indicator on WhatsApp”
For some it was the clear inspiration that caused the issue, summarised by one user on X, who shared: “WhatsApp now has the three dots typing thing like iMessage and I Hateeeee it!”
It’s not just the word “typing…” that’s been substituted for the new “…” indicator within WhatsApp, the Meta-owned messager has also changed how the alert appears within group chats.
After Android and iPhone owners started to notice the change and draw attention to the shake-up on social media, WhatsApp confirmed the design tweak and the new functionality within group chats
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When you’re in a group with multiple participants, the refreshed system will now display the profile pictures of all participants who are currently typing beside the new “…” animation to help users better anticipate incoming messagess.
The feature is enabled by default for all users, although it remains unclear whether there is an option to disable it.
WhatsApp has defended the update, stating it will make conversations more engaging and interactive.
“Now, when someone begins typing in a group or 1:1 chat, you will see a visual ‘…’ cue at the bottom of the chat screen, along with their profile picture, making it easier to see who is actively engaged in the conversation,” the chat company said in a statement.
But if that switch has caused consternation with WhatsApp users, the next change on the horizon could provide to be even more controversial. That’s because WhatsApp is gearing-up to pull support for several older iPhone models, beginning in May 5, 2025.
The iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus will no longer be able to use the messaging service, as these devices cannot run iOS 15.1, which will become the minimum operating system requirement next year. If that sounds like you, the changes to WhatsApp won’t kick-in for around five months.
If you own one of these iPhone models, you’ll need to upgrade to a newer iPhone to continue using WhatsApp. If you have a smartphone that does support iOS 15.1 but hasn’t been upgraded in a while, you’ll need to launch the Settings app and go to General > Software Update to update to the newest version of the iPhone software.
Apple CEO Tim Cook on-stage announcing the iPhone 5S in September 2013. These models will no longer work with WhatsApp from May 2025 onwards, forcing users who still rely on the handset every day to upgrade to a newer model — or miss out on WhatsApp messages
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WhatsApp has promised to notify users multiple times before the change takes effect, giving them “ample time to update their devices if possible or consider alternatives”. Android users will not be affected by this particular change.
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While it’s undoubtedly frustrating for some, the reason for this change is to allow WhatsApp to make use of newer features and technologies introduced in iOS 15. With culling older iPhone models capable of running previous versions of the operating system, WhatsApp will be held back and unable to implement some new tricks.
There’s still time before the change kicks-in, but it could be costly for those who weren’t planning on upgrading to a new iPhone anytime soon.