WhatsApp Said to Be Bringing 'Swipe to Reply' Feature to Android; Dark Mode May Arrive Soon Too

WhatsApp is reportedly working to bring the Swipe to Reply feature to its Android app. The messaging app has had an eventful 2018 as it has been launching and testing new features with high frequency. The WhatsApp iPhone app already has the Swipe to Reply feature, which seems set to be making its way to Android devices. The new feature will let WhatsApp users quickly reply to a message using a swipe right gesture. It essentially means you will no longer need to tap and hold the message to get the Reply button. Additionally, the app is also said to be working on a Dark Mode.

As per a WABetaInfo report, WhatsApp is working on the Swipe to Reply feature in the Android app. The messaging app has recently submitted a new update through the Google Play Beta Programme, bringing the beta version up to 2.18.282. The report claims that the feature is currently not available due to "development reasons" and that it needs to receive several improvements before being officially available for all WhatsApp for Android users. However, the report adds that the new WhatsApp feature may be available in one of the next few updates.

When the Swipe to Reply feature is available on WhatsApp for Android, you will be able to swipe a message that you want to reply to, towards the right side. Following this, WhatsApp will automatically load the message in the reply context.

Coming to the Dark Mode, WhatsApp is finally said to be working on adding the much-awaited feature. According to a tweet posted by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has finally started working on a Dark Mode for both iOS and Android. However, the report does not mention the exact timeline for the Dark Mode to roll-out to WhatsApp.

The upcoming dark mode feature will help reduce strain on user's eyes while using WhatsApp at night or in low-light conditions. It will also help conserve battery on phones that have OLED displays.