WhatsApp Has Become the Most Popular Messaging Service on the Planet
Initially launched in 2009, WhatsApp became steadily more popular until it was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for just under $20 billion. A year later it was confirmed as the world’s most popular messaging application. By 2020, WhatsApp had two billion users worldwide, and it is the messaging app used by huge swathes of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Any business would love to become the default for its industry in the same way as WhatsApp has. Most sectors are just as competitive, but bovada sports book will attract customers with the knowledge that other sportsbooks are on the market. How did WhatsApp effectively do away with its competition?
We are going to look at what made WhatsApp so popular worldwide and why it is still the first app people think of when they want to message their friends and family.
Low Cost
Sometimes, there is a very simple reason for a product’s success. One of the biggest when it comes to WhatsApp is that it is completely free to use. This may not sound like a revolutionary idea now, but when it was launched and first gained attention over ten years ago, it was a game-changer.
Phone users routinely needed to pay to send messages or stockpile SMS texts as part of their mobile deal. However, WhatsApp allows users to send messages completely free of charge. If there was a wi-fi connection or data on your device, you could message as much as you wanted.
Global Reach
That idea of affordability greatly impacted how WhatsApp quickly became popular. With today’s world lived online and families, friends, and even extended communities, sometimes divided by borders and oceans, WhatsApp was soon seen as the perfect way to communicate.
In a way, WhatsApp’s global reach worked in a cycle. People realized they could message on the other side of the world for free so they did exactly that. More people doing that made more people aware of that, so the cycle continued. Strangely, the US was a little slower in picking up on the sensation, but the rest of the world quickly took to WhatsApp.
Cross-Device Support
Unlike in the US, Android devices are commonplace. iPhones are not as ubiquitous as they are in the States, so the default message function of Apple products was not used as much. WhatsApp was fortunate to be launched just as greater mobile and internet penetration occurred worldwide and many new users picked that app first.
All that is needed for a WhatsApp connection is a phone number. So, like other messaging apps, there is no need to like or follow someone on a social media platform. Contacting other people, regardless of platform or device is a major plus point for WhatsApp users.
End-to-End Encryption
This might not be a factor immediately used as a reason for starting to use WhatsApp, but it can explain why some sectors of users see it as indispensable. Other messaging apps and services may use client-server encryption, meaning that, in theory, messages could be read or tampered with.
WhatsApp, on the other hand, works on an end-to-end encryption model. That means a user’s message can only be read by the intended recipient. Some people may be distrustful of Meta, who now owns WhatsApp, but the security of messages is a big attraction for some.
Business Support
WhatsApp Business was launched in 2018 to help businesses contact each other and grow communication worldwide. Since then, around 5 million businesses have signed up with the app, which has helped WhatsApp further establish itself as the default messaging app.
The business sector will always look for something established and risk-free to make things easier. Some other factors mentioned above also appeal to companies looking to survive in a volatile environment. Being able to message and speak to business contacts globally free of charge is a huge benefit.
A Major Attraction of Whatsapp is that is Completely Free to Use
Extra Features
As with any app that wants to remain popular, let alone be the default in its business area, WhatsApp has continued to evolve and provide further user features. Although free messaging is popular, there is so much more to this app these days.
Being able to attach large amounts of information in messages is a plus, as is the ability to switch to video messaging at any time. But there is even a nod to social media platforms in that users can add stories and notes to their profiles. It may not be the most popular part of the app, but it gives those who want to use WhatsApp, another social media outlet, the ability to do that in one place.
Continued Success
Part of WhatsApp’s mission statement is to “let people communicate anywhere in the world without barriers.” It is fair to say that it has completely succeeded in allowing that to happen and positioning itself as the way that most people globally think of doing so.
WhatsApp continues to be the overriding major player in the message app industry and the one to which all others have to compare themselves. With Meta behind it, WhatsApp has been able to invest in a way that only propels it forward and keeps it ahead of its competition. The continued success will only grow the app further and keep WhatsApp the messaging app of choice for a long time.