Industry watchers are curious to see whether Kakao can regain user trust with its update that restores the KakaoTalk friends list to the home screen. On the 16th, Kakao began rolling out the KakaoTalk app version 25.11.0 update sequentially, starting that day. Users can update KakaoTalk from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Due to the sequential nature of the rollout, the exact timing of the update may vary for each user.
The key feature of this update is the restoration of the Friends list, which was pushed to the back of the feed-style screen during the September reorganization, back to the main screen. After the update, two options are available at the top of the Friends tab: Friends and News. Selecting Friends displays the existing list-style screen, while selecting News displays the feed-style posts screen.
Kakao previously announced a strategy to expand KakaoTalk beyond a messenger app into a social platform through the Friends tab overhaul. However, users complained that it was difficult to find friends and that private photos and updates were being exposed in an unintentional manner. This led to a sharp drop in app market ratings and backlash, with suggestions for reverting the update being shared online.
This update also includes improvements to chat management features. You can now long-press a chat room to add it to a folder and summarize multiple unread chat rooms. We've also added a feature to prevent spoilers by hiding all messages, and a feature for chat room owners to manage entry and exit indicators for open chat rooms.
The industry is evaluating this move as an unusually rapid shift in direction in KakaoTalk's history. Analysts say it reaffirms the importance of familiar user experiences over change, as KakaoTalk is the nation's most popular messenger.
