WhatsApp is testing native Android notification bubbles — akin to Facebook Messenger’s long‑running “Chat Heads” — that let users reply to messages from a floating window without opening the full app.
When a chat is promoted to a bubble it appears as a floating icon on the screen; tapping it opens a compact, overlay‑style chat window that lets users read and reply while staying in another app, whether browsing, watching video or using productivity tools, avoiding a full switch to WhatsApp’s main interface.
According to information available on multiple public domain websites, the feature relies on Android’s native bubbles API, which is available on Android 10 and above, though testing reports suggest the experience will feel most stable on Android 11 and newer. Bubbles are not enabled by default: users must allow “Bubbles” or “Pop‑up notifications” for WhatsApp in Android settings, similar to how Messenger‑style bubbles are controlled today.
Bubbles have been spotted in beta test builds of WhatsApp for Android by WABetaInfo but are not yet available to all users, and Meta or WhatsApp have not issued official confirmation. Multiple sources expect a wider rollout after an extended beta period in the coming months.
Alongside bubbles, WhatsApp is trialling a redesigned top navigation bar that may replace the text “WhatsApp” with the logo, freeing space for quick‑access status and bubble controls. Unlike Messenger’s mixed native‑plus‑custom “Chat Heads” implementation on some devices, WhatsApp’s approach leans on Android’s standard bubbles API, which should integrate WhatsApp bubbles with the system’s other app bubbles rather than creating a separate custom layer.
In short, WhatsApp is building native Android notification bubbles that function like Messenger‑style chat heads — enabling quick replies from a floating window — currently in beta with a broader public release expected later.
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