WhatsApp, the social messaging smartphone app, has issued an update introducing a feature that many users have been asking for since its launch.

The chat service has finally introduced a new notification which displays a blue tick next to a private message once it's been read.

It's a feature many users have wanted for years, and indeed one that many thought the app already had.

Previously, successfully sent outgoing messages had two grey ticks next to them. The first meant the message had successfully left the user's device and the assumption was that the second meant it'd been received and read.

But, in fact, the second tick meant that the message had been sent from Whatsapp's server to the recipient's device, not that they'd actually seen it.

The two grey ticks will still appear in private chats, and will turn blue when the message has been read.

The FAQ page on WhatsApp's website has been updated to explain the new feature.

 

It also suggests a similar feature will appear in group chat windows, with ticks turning blue when everyone in the group has read your message.

The new FAQ reads: "In a group chat, the second check marks will appear when all participants in the group have received your message. The two blue check marks will appear when all participants in the group have read your message."

The new feature won't require users to update their iOS or Android apps, but will be introduced "over-the-air". Not all users have seen the blue ticks yet, which suggests the company are rolling it out gradually.

WhatsApp has an estimated 600m monthly active users, and was bought by Facebook earlier this year for $19bn.