Picking up from where we paused on the “Changes WhatsApp have made to revolutionize Instant Messaging” article, this sequel seeks to round things up on how WhatsApp have grown to become the biggest and most used Instant Messaging (IM) app over, how they did it and what revolutionary changes they incorporated into their platform to make them attain such height in less than 4 years after being purchased by Facebook billionaire, Mark Zuckerberg.
Let’s continue, shall we?
Voice and Video Calls
Before WhatsApp brought on voice call, then followed by video calls, several smartphone users opted for other third-party apps that offered such services for free. Apps like Viber, Skype and IMO were what most people used to place free voice and video calls, then WhatsApp happened.
Looking at things critically, you would agree with me that WhatsApp introduction of voice and video calls definitely boosted the user base of the instant messaging platform and likewise played a role in the decline in usage of Skype, Viber, IMO and the rest. This is very much understandable because why have three different apps playing different functions on your phone when you can have one that does it all?
WhatsApp has grown from not only allowing you text, but providing the liberty to do more. It is more like a lifestyle, not just an app.
Pin Chat and Star? messages
Understanding how frequent some users chat and receive messages as well as how humongous the volume of chats and messages could get, the pin chat and star messages feature came to solve such problems.
These two features, though introduced at different times, somehow play the same role but in different ways. The pin chat feature allows you easy access to your favourite chats or contacts while the star message feature allows easy access to your favourite messages or text. I compare the “Star messages” feature to “Bookmark” function of web browsers. The idea behind bookmark your favourite URLs or a website you will need later in the future is the same behind the pin chat and star messages feature. Yet another way to give instant messaging more life.
Status
Though the introduction of this feature raised quite a lot of controversy, it has however grown to become one of the biggest changes on the instant messaging platform. WhatsApp totally overhauled the old “text” status to bring life to the platform and give it a little “social media-like” touch. Apparently, WhatsApp not only wants you to text your loved ones, they want to see and have a closer feel of what I’d going on in their world through the sharing of coloured text, video and pictorial updates.
All the above features and more are some changes and more that WhatsApp have made to the app over the years which makes them trump rival and sits them comfortably on the throne of Instant Messaging.
What’s are your thoughts and contribution. Let’s hear them.