WhatsApp users on iOS and Android have been debating the meaning of the one-two check mark system since the service launched. It’s so often talked about (and asked about) that an explanation appears in the WhatsApp FAQ. Even still, some people remain confused because the system is different depending on platform. Until now, WhatsApp didn’t tell you when your messages had been read on any platform. That changed today.
WhatsApp for Android was updated on Wednesday afternoon and though the notes on the Play Store don’t mention any specific changes, users have noticed that the double check marks now turn blue when those messages have been read by the recipient. This is good news for those that like to know when their message has landed, but bad news for those that switched ‘Last seen’ to ‘only me’ a long time ago. If you want to take it to the next level, you can hold down the message and click the ‘i’ icon to see when the person received the messaged and when they actually read it.
WhatsApp hasn’t tweeted about the change but its FAQ has been updated to offer an explanation for the blue check marks:
Check marks will appear next to each message you send. Here is what each one indicates:
message successfully sent.
message successfully delivered to the recipient’s phone.
the recipient has read your message.
In a group chat, the second check marks will appear when all participants in the group have received your message. The two blue check marks will appear when all participants in the group have read your message.
The WhatsApp FAQ for iPhone also contains details on the blue check mark but iTunes shows WhatsApp hasn’t been updated since September. Hopefully this means the update is imminent.
[source]WhatsApp 1, 2, Google Play, iTunes[/source]
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