But since Android is much more widely used worldwide, iMessage isn't as ubiquitous outside the US. In the US, where many use an iPhone, iMessage is the default messenger for a lot of people-it automatically kicks in when you text someone who also has an iPhone.
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Users there thus didn't have as much need for an alternative like WhatsApp-they didn't see a reason to download another app to do what they were already doing. However, in the US, most mobile providers have offered unlimited SMS text messages as a standard feature for some time. Since all you need to use WhatsApp is an internet connection, it was a more attractive alternative to SMS. At the time it was becoming popular, phone providers in many countries charged per text message, or placed limits on how many you could send. Primarily, WhatsApp rose to ubiquitous status in many regions due to its low cost of use. There are a few reasons why WhatsApp is much more used than SMS worldwide. In contrast, the US is one of the few countries that still regularly uses "old-school" SMS text messaging. The service is much more popular in other regions of the world, serving as the default means of communication in India, Latin America, parts of Europe, and more. This contrasts with standard SMS texting, which goes through your phone provider.
Importantly, WhatsApp chats go over the internet.
It allows you to send text messages to other users one-on-one or in groups. If you live in the United States, you might not know many people who use WhatsApp. WhatsApp Messenger is a free instant messaging app available on both Android and iPhone. The service has a huge user base it reached more than two billion users worldwide in 2020. In 2014, Facebook bought the app, and it has been under the Facebook umbrella (now called Meta) since then. WhatsApp was founded in 2009 by two former Yahoo! employees. In addition to the core texting service, WhatsApp supports voice calls, video calling, and recorded voice messages. Inside chats, WhatsApp has all the features you'd expect from a modern messaging app, including the option to send photos, share your location, search and send GIFs, and similar. WhatsApp Messenger is a free instant messaging app available on both Android and iPhone. We'll cover what it is, what features the app offers, and why it's so popular. The beloved messaging app is the standard for texting in many parts of the world, but if you're not familiar with it, you may feel left out.īelow is an introductory guide to WhatsApp. Chances are that if you don't already use WhatsApp, you've least heard of it.