Google has started introducing a new message read receipt indication system within its messaging app. Thanks to this change, the process of sending a message will show the stopwatch symbol (“sending”) and two check marks (reading done) instead of the textual counterparts we currently see.
This new directions system has been tested since last October and initially only a small number of users had access to this feature, mainly among those who were part of the Google Messages beta program.
While this change makes it easier to use Read Receipts, Google hasn’t provided a detailed explanation to its users about what exactly the checkmarks represent, so at first glance users accustomed to the old indications, such as “Sent” or “Delivered”, may find themselves a bit lost with the new check marks. Also, even a simple tap on the icon doesn’t provide a more detailed explanation.
For some it will take some getting used to, but in all respects, once mastered, this new system proves quite effective, also does not require translation and is universally understood.
For ease, we tell you that a message being sent is marked by a stopwatch one empty checkmark indicates a sent message, two empty checkmarks indicate a delivered message, and two filled checkmarks indicate a read message.
As a reminder, Google Messages recently started extending the ability to react with any emoji to a message. After a long press on an SMS or RCS chat, the new “plus” symbol will appear at the end. if we press them, the emoji selector integrated in Messages will appear.
