I actually resisted installing WhatsApp for a long time (over a year) because I didn't see the need or reason why so many people were excited about it. To me, it didn't feel like "native texting", so what was the point. But I was wrong. It's a really well-built, clean app with great texting, audio, video and picure support, and for me it provides the cross-platform support and international (Canada <-> Singapore) texting that I need. No way I could get that from a carrier's own texting service. iMessage is an option for me, but between my phone and an iPad, not another phone, at this time.
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Google Close to Acquiring WhatsApp for $1 Billion?
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I actually resisted installing WhatsApp for a long time (over a year) because I didn't see the need or reason why so many people were excited about it. To me, it didn't feel like "native texting", so what was the point. But I was wrong. It's a really well-built, clean app with great texting, audio, video and picure support, and for me it provides the cross-platform support and international (Canada <-> Singapore) texting that I need. No way I could get that from a carrier's own texting service. iMessage is an option for me, but between my phone and an iPad, not another phone, at this time.
Still proves a tech bubble does indeed exist. Of course no one cares while they're in the bubble. They're just enjoying the ride.
In the States, maybe, but most places you pay for each SMS. Also, if you are sending a text to another country, it could cost more than a regular SMS.
Well, they stopped to be free of charge if I'm not mistaken (at least according to their general terms and conditions, but I've never seen somebody paying anything).
Not my point. It's just yet another messaging application. iMessage and Gtalk are built into all their phones so are far more reliable that the other person will have an account. These add on services never will be as useful as ones built into the smartphone OS.
Said this for years - Apple should have bought WhatsApp when they had the chance.
WhatsApp is superior in practically every way to iMessage. If Google buys it, Apple will suffer hugely, and fair play to Google.
Anyone who says otherwise is 100% wrong.
WhatsApp is superior in practically every way to iMessage. If Google buys it, Apple will suffer hugely, and fair play to Google.
Anyone who says otherwise is 100% wrong.
How wrong you are. The biggest problem with carrier-based texting is the feature set of the texting apps themselves. Can your texting app do audio notes, for example? That little feature of WhatsApp has been amazing for me in sending messages that require the recipient to understand the tone of my messages, or for messages with many more words than I'd want to type out (read: girlfriend).
Sounds very useful, however because I have no one (family,friends) to text outside of the US. I personally have no need for such an app.
What places are these? In the UK unlimited texting is pretty standard unless you literally use a standard pay as you go plan without any add-ons which hardly anyone does anymore and I'm pretty sure this is true for a lot of Europe too.
Although yes international messaging would indeed cost more and free internet messaging is more useful in that instance.
perhaps... it's estimated What'sapp has 300 million users across 100 countries and 700 mobile networks... it takes time to build that kind of network. Skype had 600 million was bought for $8 billion.
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I disagree.
1) iMessage is not inferior to WhatsApp. They are both very good at what they do, they just are not equals in terms of features and implementation.
2) Apple will not suffer by any changes to WhatsApp. In fact, Apple's adoption of iMessage is going to increase regardless of what happens.
That said, I hope Google does *not* end up ingesting WhatsApp.
WhatsApp became popular in the UK a few years ago because it's basically a cross-platform alternative to BBM. Not sure if it's still in wide use these days though.
At this level of communication I find it more beneficial to find a way to simply call the person...Is this becoming a lost art?
The second this deal actually happens is the second I delete Whatsapp from my iPhone. I really don't want Google to have access to my contacts data.
Deleting the app from your phone won't remove the data WhatsApp hold on you. As far as I know you can't actually delete your WhatsApp account at all.
That would be the dumbest move in the history of business. Or something like that.
The only reason you pay for Whatsapp is because somebody else is using it already, and you want to message them. Oftentimes that somebody is of the opposite sex so spending .99 for that is a no-brainer. That's how I got it anyway
It's actually a pretty terrible app compared to others like Kik or Line, which are free to boot. But that doesn't matter - it's .99 cents, and you want to send a message to X, you're going to get it. Whatsapp was a first mover, and they have carefully struck a balance between giving it away for free and charging for it. Brilliant, in hindsight.
That said - I'd move to another messenger in a heartbeat.
Google can only improve on this.... it's got the ********* UI of any app I have on my iPhone. It looks like it was designed in 2007 and never changed...
Facetime, iMessage
Instant messaging just plain SUCKS. It's insane, there's like 20+ networks out there and you're supposed to sign up on each of them because they're all incompatible. Then you need to run a multi-network messaging app, hoping the app won't eat up your battery and CPU and that the companies behind the networks won't change or break their protocols in order to block the multi-network clients.
What happened to Steve Jobs' promise to make the protocols for FaceTime open source? Apple could then have followed with a cross-platform iMessage.
Email and websites, on the other hand, work on all platforms and clients.
Instant messaging just plain SUCKS. It's insane, there's like 20+ networks out there and you're supposed to sign up on each of them because they're all incompatible. Then you need to run a multi-network messaging app, hoping the app won't eat up your battery and CPU and that the companies behind the networks won't change or break their protocols in order to block the multi-network clients.
What happened to Steve Jobs' promise to make the protocols for FaceTime open source? Apple could then have followed with a cross-platform iMessage.
Email and websites, on the other hand, work on all platforms and clients.
Depending which area in Asia. In the Eastern Asian countries, namely China, Korea, and Japan, Whatsapp isn't doing all that well. There already has been questions regarding the future of Whatsapp due to its growth being eaten up by the competitors in those countries and possible more going forward.
That's his point; the product itself is definitely not worth this money.
We're in a bubble because these internet companies like Google and Facebook are still trying to adapt revenues to this "mobile" thing. They're bombarded with talk about how people are using apps more and browsers less and how they need to be deeper inside this market.
In my opinion, it's all analyst and ill-informed-shareholder bunk. The bubble is that there's this new technological nirvana over the horizon and once we get there the internet as we know it will change and these companies will be in uncertain situations.
Personally, I don't like this news. I think that's a grotesque figure. At least double what it's worth.
I'm also hugely skeptical of their position in Asia. The most attractive market there is obviously China (with India a close second). China has a tendency to come up with their own versions of Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc and push those over the "originals". WhatsApp is nothing special; if it is acquired by Google, I'd expect Sinicised alternatives to suddenly become very popular.
whatsapp worth more than 5 billion
At 1 billion it will be cheap for Google.
Also think that facebook was interested in buying whatsapp
In Europe, Asia, and Latin America the app is the most used to send instant messages.
It became very popular because people with blackberry start downloading it and then when they change their phones to iphone and android they could still sending messages without using blackberry messenger.
At 1 billion it will be cheap for Google.
Also think that facebook was interested in buying whatsapp
In Europe, Asia, and Latin America the app is the most used to send instant messages.
It became very popular because people with blackberry start downloading it and then when they change their phones to iphone and android they could still sending messages without using blackberry messenger.
Based on the following, I'd be hesitant to form any conclusions about much of anything based upon what "all my friends" are using:
http://www.telecompaper.com/news/whatsapp-installed-on-50-of-dutch-smartphones--821563