What does this symbol mean?

[Pete486]

Sometimes, not always, when I send a text message a small symbol appears to the left of the text I've sent. It looks to me a bit like an open book inside a circle. I've searched everywhere online and can't find out what it means. Can someone please enlighten me.
I wanted to post a screenshot showing the symbol, but can't work out how to do this as the icon above wants me to input a URL for it.

 

[Pete486]

Sometimes, not always, when I have sent a text message, a small symbol appears just to the left of the message box. It looks to me like a circle containing and open book. I've searched online and can't find it anywhere, so can someone enlighten me please.
Here's a screenshot.

 

[ocnbrze]

so that is a split screen icon. at least that is what it looks like on my z fold 4.

 

[Pete486]

Thank you @ocnbrze
I'm on a Z Fold 3. But why does the symbol only show next to some of my texts and not others even in the same conversation. It's still appears exactly the same wether I'm in split or full screen mode.

 

[ocnbrze]

Thank you @ocnbrze
I'm on a Z Fold 3. But why does the symbol only show next to some of my texts and not others even in the same conversation. It's still appears exactly the same wether I'm in split or full screen mode.

what messaging app are you using? i never have seen it appear next to a text bubble.

 

[Pete486]

@ocnbrze I thought there was only one messaging app that does SMS and MMS. It seems to be the same one I've been using for the last 10 or 15 years. I have messages that go back many years.

 

[Hadron]

SMS/MMS is a system service, and all SMS apps are just interfaces to it. So whatever SMS app you use you will see the same SMS/MMS messages. There are many different apps: traditionally manufacturers have installed their own (though it's becoming more common for them to just install Google's one), there are a vast number of third party apps, and some apps that use different protocols can also be used for SMS (e.g. Signal). But they all use the same SMS/MMS database, so it's purely a matter of preference which you use.

(RCS "chat" messages are different: only Google Messages and Samsung Messages support that, because as well as pushing that protocol Google have not provided public access to the API. Why they want to promote this but also limit access it is incomprehensible to me, but that's Google for you).

So it sounds like you have just used whatever the default app was on whatever phone you've been using.

I've never seen that symbol, but I guess it's something to do with the Fold. As I don't own one of those, and don't use Samsung's app anyway, I have no idea what that means. Is there anything different about the messages that show it, e.g. being MMS rather than SMS?

 

[Pete486]

Thanks @Hadron.
You have prompted me to realise what the symbol means.
Having looked at this a bit more closely, the messages with the symbol are the longer ones which are only shown in part, they say View all at the bottom. Clicking View all brings up the whole message and just that message to full screen.
So I think the symbol is supposed to depict a book showing that there is an extra page or pages to be viewed.
I feel a bit daft now for not connecting this earlier, I was a bit confused by it.
Thank you.

 

[olbriar]

Glad that you figured it out and your thread will help others as to what the not so obvious symbol represents.

 

[Pete486]

Glad that you figured it out and your thread will help others as to what the not so obvious symbol represents.

That's good that my thread might help some other confused technophobe, I don't feel quite so daft now