WhatsApp Was First
When WhatsApp rolled out in 2009, it was the first of its kind. There was Skype, which excelled at voice and video calling, but Skype was for the PC and made a late entry into mobile phones. WhatsApp was to free messaging what Skype was to free calling. Although other mobile messaging apps, such as Viber and Kik, came out later, WhatsApp remained the app to beat. WhatsApp wasn’t a VoIP app at launch. It was only for messaging and came on the market with a new communication model. Instead of being perceived as an alternative to Skype, where people had to choose, it was welcomed as a new way of texting that had a place alongside Skype.
WhatsApp Killed SMS
When WhatsApp launched, people complained about the price of SMS texts. It was costly and limited. In some parts of the world, one message could cost as much as a dollar. WhatsApp solved this problem by allowing you to send SMS messages to other WhatsApp users without counting words, without being deprived of multimedia content, and without being restricted to a set number of contacts. All for free. Before WhatsApp, mobile carriers often sold separate texting plans, with caps and additional fees, for SMS text messages and media-enriched MMS messages. After WhatsApp and its competitors broke through, carriers no longer found value in charging for these services. Today, in the United States, it’s rare for SMS or MMS to be sold separately or individually metered.
You Are Your Number
WhatsApp went one step further than Skype when it came to identifying users on the network. It identifies people through their phone numbers. No need to ask for a username. If you have someone’s phone number in your contacts, it means they’re in your WhatsApp contacts if they use the app. This makes it easier for texting than Skype.
WhatsApp Works on Most Platforms
WhatsApp started on Android and iOS mobile phones, then transitioned seamlessly to mobile tablets. It widened its user base further by including Windows Phones, Nokia phones, Jio (in India), and more. The app synced across all the supporting devices and rapidly accumulated millions of users.
Expanded Feature Set
WhatsApp’s features were new in 2009. It pleased its users with things like group chat and the ability to send pictures and other multimedia elements along with messages. In time, as competition increased, WhatsApp added its free-calling feature and became a VoIP giant. Then, it added video calling and recorded voice messages to its offerings. WhatsApp also aims to give users more control over their messages with privacy features including the ability to customize how long someone can read what you send them before it disappears. You can set messages for new chats to expire by default, for example, and you can choose durations of 24 hours, seven days, or 90 days.
WhatsApp Is All About Mobility
WhatsApp was made for mobile devices and not for traditional computers, so it didn’t need to adapt to the mobile environment like its PC-first competitors. It came at a time when smartphone adoption was booming, and there was an unprecedented shift from the computer to the tablet PC and smartphone. Also, 2G and 3G data became more accessible and cheaper in many places. Although WhatsApp is a free app, data rates apply in some instances.
Time Advantage
WhatsApp launched at a time when people needed what it had to offer. It went unchallenged for a couple of years before real competition came around. By then, the network effect had started, which is the most important factor in its success. Because communications between WhatsApp users are free, using an app with a wide user base is advantageous, and you can’t get much wider than WhatsApp’s user base.
