Although this isn’t an actual update to the app, WhatsApp is now sporting a nifty new feature that—although small—might make a big difference in how users of the messaging app stay in touch with their friends. The Facebook-owned app, which would previously show double check marks if a sent message had been received, now goes one step further and turns those check marks blue if the message has been read.
As can be found in the app’s newly-updated FAQ, group chat and broadcast messages are also impacted by this change. In that case, the two checkmarks will turn blue after every participant within the group has read the message. As mentioned, this feature isn’t part of an update to the app through the App Store, but rather something that the company has pushed over-the-air to both iOS and Android versions of the app.
This change comes shortly after rumors have reignited that WhatsApp will soon be getting some amount of VOIP (Voice over IP) capability, which would let users make—assumably—free telephone calls via WiFi or cellular. Droidapp.nl has seemingly gotten their hands on some of the icons the app will use for this rumored feature, which look a lot like the Phone.app icon.
In case you can’t speak Dutch, the above icon labels translate to “Missed calls,” “Start call,” “End call,” “Incoming and outgoing calls,” and “New call” in order from top to bottom. Droidapp.nl has also uploaded a sound that they’ve been told is going to be the WhatsApp dial tone. Despite that these are leaks of the Android app, we can assume that a similar feature will come to iOS if it ever does indeed make it to the Android version.
If you’re interested in try out the new read receipts feature or looking forward to a time when VOIP comes to WhatsApp, you can get the app completely free in the App Store.
Thanks Ade for the heads up!
The blue message read check marks just arrived on my Android version. About time. #whatsapp pic.twitter.com/hOcDpUxFfi
— Tim Vüllers (@tvuellers) November 5, 2014
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What I want is for this app to look normal on my iPhone 6, most elements like text and the keyboard are huge and unfocused, they need to update it, most apps look fine, this one sucks, it’s not like the new iPhones aren’t selling like crazy for them to not update it right away!
Great. Now how can I disable it?
Its interesting that both Facebook and Messenger have been updated to the iPhone 6 dimensions, yet Whatsapp still isn’t updated even though its now owned by the Facebook team.
Am I the only one on earth that hasn’t got the blue check marks? I am running the latest version on iPhone..
Maybe nobody is reading your messages.
Bye Bye Privacy !!! Shouldn’t this thing be an optional feature like “Last Time Seen” ?!!
Mildly interesting that a conversation in Portuguese was chosen for the principal graphic in this article. Pelo menos para mim, que mora aqui no brasil.
I have saw a post that there is someone who discovered how to disable it , here http://www.deposit-tools.com/disable-blue-ticks-whatsapp , after reading the trick i have applied it and it works great because i tested with my brothers smartphone
Best app to share stickers in whatsapp!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.whatsappsmileys.stickers