Technology

Google Messages’ New Feature Could End the ‘Seen’ Mystery

On 26 February, everyone on the internet started buzzing about this new feature of Google Messages, telling you if the person is ignoring you or is busy. A feature has been added to receive the receipt of your message. Usually, the read receipt is shown at the end of the conversation, making it challenging to decide whether that specific person has read the message or not. This is not a problem anymore.

Who Can Use This Feature?

Google Messages

The Android default messaging app has introduced this feature for beta users only. This is highly liked by most of them, which means this upgrade will soon be available for all the google messages app users. If you are a Beta user, upgrade the app and enjoy this feature now.

Implications For Users

This feature may help you investigate if someone is ignoring you or not. You can explore this by looking at his read receipts in the group chat. The message report can help you decide if the message is delivered, seen, reacted to, or ignored. Another helpful way in a cooperative world is that a manager can track whether the subordinates read the 11th hour changes.

Privacy Issue

Some users who don't want to show their seen status may not enjoy this feature, but in the BETA version, the option to turn it off is available. The developer has not officially stated whether this feature will be available.

If you are a Beta version user, you can check the message status by long pressing a message in the group chat. The last version shows only the delivery status of the message by showing the profile picture and the user's name. This is a step forward from the existing one-on-one chat read receipts, which already show when the recipient has read a message.

Detailed Functionality and Comparison

Google’s biggest competitor has already introduced this feature, but it's better to be late than sorry. The beta feature, as detailed in the teardown, introduces this capability to group chats, potentially aligning Google Messages more closely with competitors like WhatsApp, which has long offered similar "Info" features for group reads.

Users interested in testing it can join the Google Messages beta program through the Google Play Store.