If you’ve ever sent a message on your phone, you’ll be familiar with this scenario. Just as you start typing a message, someone else starts hitting the keys too!

In most apps, it’s easy to see if someone else is typing, meaning you can stop and wait for them to finish. But on WhatsApp, it’s not in the most visible place.

Instead of an icon appearing just below existing messages (as you’ll find on the likes of Apple’s Messages and Facebook Messenger) WhatsApp has hidden its message at the top of the screen next to the name of the other person. While you’re typing away, this could easily be missed.

However, that won’t be a problem soon. that WhatsApp is also changing the typing message to an icon and moving it down to the bottom of the screen. It makes sense to have it here, just above the text box, as that’s where people typically focus their gaze during a chat.

For now, the change appears to only affect some Android devices running a WhatsApp beta. The feature is expected to be rolled out to all compatible devices at some point, though it’s not clear exactly when.

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