Twitter extends Direct Messages with ‘chat’ features

Twitter has expanded its functionality for Direct Messages, allowing users to see, among other things, whether their message has been read by the recipient. It also shows whether the interlocutor is typing.

The social networking site announced the changes in a tweet. One of the most important new features is a checkmark that appears next to sent messages. Just like in Whatsapp, this will turn blue when the message has been read by the recipient. Because it also provides insight into who is typing, Twitter seems to increasingly want to use its DM functionality as a full-fledged chat app.

Twitter has also added previews to shared links. As a result, recipients get a summary of the content of a web page. The updates are rolling out immediately, but it may take some time for all users to gain access to the enhanced DM functionality. In the announcement, Twitter demonstrated the features for smartphones, but it is likely that desktop users will also get access.