WhatsApp developing new feature "Mark as Read' for notifications on Android

WhatsApp recently released a new update to the beta version of its Android app, which now sits at version 2.18.214, and it includes a new feature that changes the way users can interact with notifications, although it’s not yet available to use.

Up until now, WhatsApp users could either swipe notifications away if they weren’t needed or, alternatively, hit the reply button, allowing them to respond to chats individually without needing to open the app. However, with the latest beta version, the Facebook-owned messaging service is testing a new “Mark as Read” button which will sit alongside the current reply button. As the name suggests, it will allow users to mark separate chats as read, thus presumably displaying the double blue tick symbol to users on the other end whenever it’s activated.

For development reasons, it’s claimed that WhatsApp is yet to activate the feature for beta testers – various improvements need to be made to the way the feature functions – but considering the company’s previous history, it shouldn’t be too long before it’s available to use. Additionally, it’s worth pointing out that a new chat mute button accessible through the Notification Center is also said to be in the works.

Most recently, WhatsApp introduced a new Forwarded Message label to its app that aims at slightly the source of messages to its users and will ultimately allow people to question the information they receive, thus reducing the spread of fake news.