WhatsApp is bringing in some big changes. Most notably, the platform is incorporating business into the platform while still remaining 100% ad-free. This was only possible because of the autonomy that Mark Zuckerberg has granted the platform with for the first few years after making the acquisition.
WhatsApp Goes Where Skype and WeChat Have Never Gone Before
The messaging platform is days away from reaching 1 billion users. That’s about one-seventh of the entire world’s population. The platform announced that it was going to be 100% free. Previously, the platform charged 99 cents to users in certain regions. This fee guaranteed them free use for the first year.
After Facebook acquired WhatsApp for a pretty 19 billion, the fee was only in place for regions where mobile payments were popular, and where people were more inclined to pay for services. It was mainly in the United States and the United Kingdom up until 2014. With this kind of user base and help from Facebook, WhatsApp has no more need to charge customers for using their services.
Facebook Subsidiary Follows its Parent
The biggest announcement made by the firm is that they’re planning to expand big time. Not by catering to a wider audience, but by bringing in businesses. This is expected since Facebook has made quite a few moves in the same direction. As a good subsidiary, WhatsApp is bringing in businesses to change the way purchases can be made from a smartphone.
One Hundred Percent Ad and Spam Free
There are already some businesses that can form links to users. People can WhatsApp the BBC with news tips, or message certain restaurants in Hong Kong. The platform’s goal is to make it possible for users to communicate with banks or airlines directly from WhatsApp. Unlike other platforms that may offer similar services, WhatsApp wants to implement these features without third-party ads and spam.
The platform will surely be bringing in some changes to WhatsApp itself in order to cater to businesses. After all, businesses need more than what it offers right now. They need analytics, bots that send mass texts and the ability to send mass texts. Other platforms like WeChat certainly offer this, but they feature ads.
WhatsApp vs WeChat vs Skype
In this respect, Skype is not used on mobile as often as it is used on a desktop. This is at least in regards to business. WeChat offers significant competition, but it features third party ads and spam, which is why many people have stopped using the services.
WhatsApp has great headwind. The platform could bring in some great positive changes by implementing these features. However, it must be optimized before bringing big businesses in.
