But there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration too. For example, end-to-end encryption is appreciated by users. But the constant stream of new features, introduced by regular updates, is also key in keeping WhatsApp in a leading position.
Often enough, though, with new features, new options get introduced too. These ultimately make the WhatsApp Settings menu their home, and as such, it has gotten a tad cluttered over the years. The latest WhatsApp Beta for Android, however, seems to be aiming to fix that issue with the implementation of a search bar.
An example screenshot, where the new search field is visible in the upper right corner of the Settings menu.
The team of WABetaInfo — often responsible for spotting hidden WhatsApp features — has shared a report about the latest Beta update for Android, namely version 2.23.8.20. This version introduces a functional search bar in the Settings menu of the messaging app.
It seems to work pretty similarly to the search bar in Android’s very own Settings app, where users can type in keywords in order to find a specific setting quickly, instead of browsing through everything with the hopes of finding it “manually”.
This addition is great not only because it alleviates the hassle of searching for that one setting you need to get to, but also because it is pretty much future-proof. More features are bound to come to WhatsApp and the search bar is likely to work for them as well, making it more valuable for the user experience.
All that being said, the Settings search bar is currently rolling out for the Beta version of the app. While we don’t know when it will reach the live version of WhatsApp, if you are excited to try it out, you can always enroll in the Beta testing group on Android.
