It is new. Needed too as I hated when my wife would message me and I'd respond then I'd go back to whatever app I was using and go to say something else to her and it would take me to a message that was unread from a friend and he'd see that I read it. Then want to know a response. "Ain't nobody got time fo dat!"
LOL. You do realize you can turn off the "read receipts". It's off by default when you get an iPhone and open it up brand new.