WhatsApp to roll out ‘read’ feature to tell when recipients read text message

The WhatsApp messaging service will soon provide senders a "read" receipt that would indicate if a message had been read by the recipient.

The two little gray check marks that appear next to a sent message would turn blue when the user's text message had been read, 9to5Mac first reported.

But users need not update the app to get the new feature - WhatsApp would be pushing it out automatically to iOS and Android users.

Many people think the double check marks mean, the recipient had seen their message.

WhatsApp explained in its newly updated FAQ, that one gray check mark meant the message was sent successfully while two gray check marks meant it was successfully delivered to the recipient's phone.

Now, users would be able to tell when the message was actually read as the marks would turn blue.

In a group chat, the check mark would show up when all participants in the group had received the message and would turn blue when everyone had read it.

Additionally, the updated WhatsApp features a Message Info screen that provides users with details of the message they send, PC Mag reported. The Message Info screen would appear on selecting a message sent and would give information about  "when your message was delivered, read or played by the recipient(s)", according to the WhatsApp FAQ page.           

The updated app would not be available on Google Play. The iOS app for WhatsApp was however, yet to receive the new feature.

Meanwhile, in a related development, WhatsApp vice president, Neeraj Arora revealed that the messaging service would continue to be free of cost in India for some more time. Users needed to pay about $1 as subscription fees annually after using the service for free for a year.

Users in India had been exempted from it, at least for now.