WhatsApp is introducing iOS-style chat previews to Android, allowing users to long-press conversations in the chat list to see recent messages without triggering blue ticks. A teardown of WhatsApp for Android beta 2.26.44.12 revealed code for the feature. Unlike iOS, the Android preview window supports scrolling to view older messages without sending read receipts.
The feature remains in development and is not yet available to public beta testers or the stable release. Once launched, it will bring the Android experience in line with iOS regarding chat previews, though the iOS version does not support scrolling within the preview. The update addresses a long-standing Android limitation where users could not view messages discreetly without alerting the sender.
Source: GSMArena · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing