WhatsApp is developing an Android redesign that could bring Channels into the Chats tab, changing how users access updates alongside their conversations.
According to WABetaInfo’s 29 September report, the feature remains under development and is not yet available to beta testers. Evidence of the changes was found in Android beta version 2.26.39.1.
WhatsApp is reportedly exploring three layouts: displaying Channels alongside conversations, keeping them behind a dedicated filter, or placing them inside a Channels folder within the chat list.
A proposed migration prompt would let users move followed Channels into Chats or archive them, with the option to bring them into Chats later. The final layout has not been settled.
The redesign could also spell the end of the Updates tab. WABetaInfo reports that moving both Status and Channels into Chats would make room for a Contacts tab.
For users, the potential benefit is easier access to followed content, although the different layouts suggest WhatsApp is still weighing how to avoid overcrowding conversations.
No release date has been announced, and the design could change before reaching users.
