This is something way beyond just the United States, I wouldn't be surprised WhatsApp numbers are bigger outside the country, here in Brazil is absolutely huge.
Bloomberg Tech Reporter: Facebook to buy WhatsApp
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This is something way beyond just the United States, I wouldn't be surprised WhatsApp numbers are bigger outside the country, here in Brazil is absolutely huge.
Just shows how far off the mark RIM was when they failed to cross platform BBM earlier when it was still relevant.
The Faceless Master
Member
they did.
i mean, unless you mean screwing up SMS and Hangouts by fucking with reliable protocols and making them worse.
Texting is mostly unlimited in the UK but whatsapp allows you to form groups, transfer pics, files, record voice notes etc. Ease of use.
For now they will keep it separate but...it will happen just watch when they have there grubby hands on those tools.
breakfuss
Member
How is SMS not real time? What, by fractions of a second? In which case isn't there latency with stuff like whatsapp?
Indrid Cold1
Member
Gutted because I use whatsapp extensively to communicate with my friends family and girlfriend but don't want to have anything to do with Facebook.
There is almost no latency in Whatsapp. And image transfer is so much faster. Also you can see when someone was online and if he is writing. Groups, avatars etc.
It is just the best messaging app on the market. I don't use SMS and MMS anymore, eventough I have a flatrate on everything. I don't know anybody that doesn't use Whatsapp...even my grandmother uses it.
PrivateWHudson
Member
What? I just renewed for $1 last night.
Operations
Member
EVeryone saying FB Messenger / Hangouts / Skype / etc. > Whatsapp fail to understand how it works. The actual interface may be inferior, but that's IRRELEVANT. To use those other services require to know/register in a platform. With Whatsapp you only need the phone number of your contacts, which of course, you already have, since it is positioned to be a SMS replacement.
Whatsapp really has Blackberry's(RIM at the time) ineptness to thank for it's massive popularity.
When Whatsapp came onto the scene as a cross platform BBM alternative, BBM was by far the most popular messaging service (not counting SMS). but their stubbornness to keep it a Blackberry only service caused Whatsapp's popularity to surge.
When Whatsapp came onto the scene as a cross platform BBM alternative, BBM was by far the most popular messaging service (not counting SMS). but their stubbornness to keep it a Blackberry only service caused Whatsapp's popularity to surge.
I have only paid a buck for Whatsapp in 5 years of usage I guess?
Apple couldn't have charged anything for that, it isn't a carrier.
Exactly.
No messenger will ever have this kind of service. And the fact that it's integrated in the system like SMS and no login/logout is needed makes it even better.
If you've used it they already have your data. Deleting the app won't delete your data off their servers. Also, most people's personal data is already stored at other public companies like MS, Yahoo, Google or Apple...
I paid 79 cents years ago and they gave me a lifetime account lol
Oops I meant AT&T.
Sounds plausible. Is there any juridical safeguard against this though?
Yeah, Whatsapp was so much better, everyone has a phone number, job done. Perfect.
Sending messages, pictures etc. was so quick and simple. I love apps that are no fuss.
I await the new contender. Can't buy them all.
Instant access to my phonenumber and contacts. Nope not better
Here in Spain everybody with a smartphone uses it.
Some apps tried to be replacements, Viber, Line and now Telegram, but they failed miserably.
SMS were paid until now (.18/u). There are now packs of free SMS but they have come way too late. And MMS are always about .70-1.20)
iPhone market share is pretty low so practically nobody uses iMessage.
Some apps tried to be replacements, Viber, Line and now Telegram, but they failed miserably.
SMS were paid until now (.18/u). There are now packs of free SMS but they have come way too late. And MMS are always about .70-1.20)
iPhone market share is pretty low so practically nobody uses iMessage.
Marty Chinn
Member
No I mean making it actually useful where I don't have two different chat sessions going because one started in SMS and then continued in Hangouts but now became disjointed because Google can't figure out how to merge the conversation or auto switch to the right protocol. What Google has now is half assed.
Tell that to grandpas and casuals who doesn't even understand how to install apps and tell their relatives "install me that whatsapp to text people"
Angelus Errare
Banned
You don't need to code, many of these tech startups were the ideas of designers who got together with programmers. If you can write up an idea including how it works, along with UX/UI design and wireframes you can easily find a programmer or two who would be willing to do the coding.
a Master Ninja
Member
But texting is unlimited and everybody already has it. There is zero barrier if I want to communicate with a friend, family member, or coworker.
I dont give a shit about that. Go living on a island or in a jungle if you want total privacy.
dark_chris
Member
Goddamn. The Zuck really wants everyone's numbers.
You can delete your Whatsapp account. If it actually deletes off of their servers is a different story...I doubt it does.
Anyways, I trust Apple and Google (for email) more.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
Robbed!
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NinjaFridge
Unconfirmed Member
There's more to Whatsapp than just texting though. You can create groups and sending images, videos and other things is easier. It's great for group work.
SirMossyBloke
Member
Hahaha absolutely not. Hangouts is buggy trash.
In my country, Mexico, there are probably about 40 million active smartphone users. I would bet my first born son that 99% of them use Whatsapp. Hell, Whatsapp is the smartphone killer app. It's the reason most people get smartphones. If you don't use Whatsapp, you might as well not communicate.
I don't know how it got so big, but I presume similar circumstances took hold in other countries where it's equally popular. Here's my theory:
Texting is not cheap. Most plans include just 50-100 SMSs per month and most people use prepaid anyway. Texting across carriers also used to be very expensive. People simply didn't want to pay for SMS anymore. It's probably been over a year since I sent / recieved an SMS.
Blackberries were also very very popular circa 2004-2010 and people quickly got used to free- group based texting
When blackberries died ca. 2010 people needed a replacement for x-platform chat. Besides, iMessage wasn't released until late 2010 and by the Whatsapp had become firmly entrenched, which resulted in basically no one ever using iMessage.
So yeah, this is a very big deal, even if it might not seem like it for US residents.
I don't know how it got so big, but I presume similar circumstances took hold in other countries where it's equally popular. Here's my theory:
Texting is not cheap. Most plans include just 50-100 SMSs per month and most people use prepaid anyway. Texting across carriers also used to be very expensive. People simply didn't want to pay for SMS anymore. It's probably been over a year since I sent / recieved an SMS.
Blackberries were also very very popular circa 2004-2010 and people quickly got used to free- group based texting
When blackberries died ca. 2010 people needed a replacement for x-platform chat. Besides, iMessage wasn't released until late 2010 and by the Whatsapp had become firmly entrenched, which resulted in basically no one ever using iMessage.
So yeah, this is a very big deal, even if it might not seem like it for US residents.
I have paid twice by now.
Well WhatsApp "claims" they don't store anything on their servers but your number and contacts. Not that I believe it though.
Continues to amaze me how many people in the US don't know about Whatsapp. Here (Netherlands) it's hard to find people who have a smartphone but don't have the app. Is there another app that's used on a large scale in the US or is it just texting?
Personally I love Whatsapp. It's simple, doesn't require login and costs practically nothing both on and off Wi-Fi.
Personally I love Whatsapp. It's simple, doesn't require login and costs practically nothing both on and off Wi-Fi.
The Faceless Master
Member
what Google has now just works.
maybe someone can figure out what you want in the future.
Giant Panda
Member
I'd never heard of this before today. I never knew people just didn't use the built-in text messaging service.
I've read that there are 40 million smartphones around in Germany and WhatsApp has 30 million users here.
Broder Salsa
Banned
Reasonable price.
The built in ones are usually a bit shit. Whatsapp is great, we use it in football GAF quite a lot.
The built in ones are usually a bit shit. Whatsapp is great, we use it in football GAF quite a lot.
In most countries SMS is not cheap.
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