The functionality to directly notify a specific participant within a group conversation on iMessage exists through the use of a special character followed by the contact’s name. When typing the “@” symbol, a list of participants in the current iMessage group chat will appear, allowing selection of the intended individual. Selecting a name from this list inserts a highlighted mention of that person into the message field.
This feature provides a streamlined method for drawing a particular recipient’s attention to a message within a larger group context. Its implementation reduces the likelihood of an individual missing important or relevant information dispersed throughout a multi-party communication. Prior to the introduction of direct mentions, important information could be easily overlooked within a high-volume group chat.