If you’re a WhatsApp user, then you’ll be familiar with the double ticks that accompany every message you send. The first is there you confirm that your message sent, and the second that it was received. But now, if your smartphone is Android, you may have noticed that the ticks are suddenly turning blue.
WhatsApp has revealed that this new design is there to let you know that the receiver has read your message, viewed your image, or heard your audio file. This feature is there to get around the commonly-held belief that the original second tick meant that the message had been read, though it actually only means it was received.
In group messages, you'll see the blue ticks when all members have read the message.
Anyone using the Facebook Messenger app will recognise the ticking trait, though it may anger certain users who would prefer to remain in the dark about whether they’ve read a message or not. The social pressure to respond, not to mention the rage-inducing frustration when waiting for a post-read answer, is pretty divisive in the competitive world of instant messaging.
According to WhatsApp’s FAQ section, the blue ticks will be rolled out across its entire service, without the need to update to a new version of service, which Facebook acquired for $19bn in February.
WhatsApp have also revealed that the blue tick confirmation cannot be turned off.
