Why is there only one checkmark when sending a WhatsApp message while the person is online - briefly?
When you send a WhatsApp message to someone who is online, you will initially see only one checkmark next to your message. This indicates that the message has been successfully sent from your device but has not yet been delivered to or read by the recipient.
Why is there only one checkmark when sending a WhatsApp message while the person is online - in detail?
When you send a WhatsApp message, you may notice that only one checkmark appears next to your message even if the recipient is currently online. This phenomenon can be attributed to several factors related to how WhatsApp handles message delivery and read statuses.
Firstly, it's important to understand that WhatsApp uses a system of checkmarks to indicate the status of your messages. A single gray checkmark means that your message has been sent from your device but has not yet been delivered to the recipient’s phone. This initial state does not change immediately based on whether the recipient is online or offline, as it primarily depends on the network conditions and the recipient's phone receiving the message notification.
Secondly, WhatsApp prioritizes delivering messages reliably over instantaneously indicating their delivery status. When you send a message, it travels through WhatsApp’s servers to the recipient’s device. The single checkmark reflects that your message has left your device but may still be in transit or waiting in the recipient's phone for them to open the app and see it.
Thirdly, even if the recipient is online, they might not have the WhatsApp application actively running on their device at that moment. Modern smartphones use power-saving features that can pause apps when they are not in use. Therefore, your message may reach the recipient’s phone but won't be marked as delivered until the app is opened and the message is processed by the recipient’s device.
Fourthly, WhatsApp does not immediately change the checkmark status to two (indicating delivery) or blue (indicating read) unless it has confirmed receipt of the message on the recipient's phone. This confirmation process involves the recipient's device acknowledging the message, which can take a moment even if they are online and actively using their phone.
In summary, the presence of only one checkmark when sending a WhatsApp message while the person is online is due to the complexities of modern messaging systems, network conditions, and power-saving features on smartphones. WhatsApp aims to provide accurate and reliable delivery status updates rather than immediate indications that might be misleading.