WhatsApp tests new way to find old messages on iPhone
What's the story
WhatsApp is working on a new feature to make it easier for iPhone users to search through long conversations. The instant messaging platform is testing a dedicated search button that would appear directly within an iPhone chat. The development was first spotted by WABetaInfo, but the feature is still in the works and hasn't been released to beta testers yet.
Feature details
New feature would simplify message search
Currently, searching for an old message on WhatsApp can be a tedious process, especially in chats with months or years of history.
The user has to leave the conversation, go to the chat info page, and then select the search option.
The new feature would let users enter search mode without leaving the chat by tapping on a button that appears while scrolling through older messages.
User convenience
Search button appears only during chat scrolling
The proposed search button would only appear when a user scrolls up through a conversation, revealing older messages. This contextual approach would make the feature more user-friendly.
As users scroll away from the latest messages, the search option would appear at the bottom of their screen and disappear again when they return to newer parts of the chat.
Platform parity
Similar to existing jump-back option
Notably, the proposed search button is similar to another navigation control WhatsApp already uses for older parts of a chat: the option to jump back to the most recent message.
The experience on iPad is slightly different, as users can access additional controls through the More button and select Search without leaving the conversation.
The new feature would bring a more direct search route for smaller-screen interfaces like iPhone.