Gone are the days when Facebook dominated the social media industry. WhatsApp is currently one of the most popular social media platforms in the digital era. Its history dates back to 2009 when Acton and Koum launched the application before selling it to Facebook in 2014 (WhatsApp, 2020b). The application started as an alternative to short message service (SMS) but has since grown to allow voice calls and advanced data sharing through a variety of such media as photos, videos, documents, and location. The app boasts of end to end encryption of its calls, thus, deterring third parties, including the host company, from eavesdropping. The main driver of the Facebook Company is to facilitate communication across the globe without barriers. WhatsApp has experienced tremendous growth in the number of users in recent years, which is attributable to its cost, convenience, and ability to compete with other social media platforms.
The application has evolved to include new features that enhance user experience. A notable advancement is the diversification of WhatsApp from its original android peer-to-peer version to offer the app in different primary forms. WhatsApp Messenger, WhatsApp for business, and WhatsApp desktop are significant improvements that expand the usability of the platform (WhatsApp, 2020a). Such elements allow users to utilize the app in different capacities and devices. Consequently, people can separate their communication functions based on the objective and platform appropriateness. Such availability of choice within the app is a notable contribution to user satisfaction. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Group conversation is another essential feature in the application that facilitates communication among multiple people. Families, co-workers, or friends can utilize the offering on personal and corporate levels to promote joint and timely conversation through group accounts (WhatsApp, 2020a). Markedly, WhatsApp has been used in such group scenarios as teaching to provide instructions to learners (Susanti & Tarmuji, 2016). Such a capability is useful in instances where teams need to hold virtual meetings.
Additionally, the feature WhatsApp web enables users to continue with conversations by synchronizing their chats on a computer to shift based on their convenience needs. The option can be helpful in scenarios where users are busy with their computers and do not wish to waste time checking and replying to messages through their phones. Moreover, shared files can be viewed using the superior display of computers for better clarity. The feature, thus, significantly improves the users’ experience while offering a convenient mode of communication.
The usage of WhatsApp has skyrocketed in recent years. As of 2019, the app had over 2 billion users across 180 countries (WhatsApp, 2020b). According to Clement (2019), 1.6 billion users across the world accessed WhatsApp Messenger monthly in 2019. U.S. statistics indicate that in 2018, 32% of the users accessed the platform several times a day, while 21% of the users accessed it daily (Clement, 2019). The extensive coverage of WhatsApp allows individuals to create an online community and share personalized content (Kumar & Sharma, 2017). However, WhatsApp is a considerably more intimate application compared to Facebook and other social media platform since users can only establish connections with their phone contacts (Karapanos et al., 2016). Additionally, WhatsApp is highly universal paralleled to other youth-dominated platforms like Instagram and Twitter (Kumar & Sharma, 2017). The tremendous growth in the number of users using the internet-based communication app is attributable to the low cost and convenience it offers to its users.
WhatsApp is a fast-growing social media platform that allows individuals to share personalized content with an intimate social media community. The application enables individuals to communicate through voice and video calls, text, and apt sharing of such media as photos, videos, and documents. The app has witnessed tremendous growth due to the level of convenience and low-cost services it offers to its clients.
References
Clement, J. (2019, November 20). Most popular messaging apps 2019. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/258749/most-popular-global-mobile-messenger-apps/
Karapanos, E., Teixeira, P., & Gouveia, R. (2016). Need fulfillment and experiences on social media: A case on Facebook and WhatsApp. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 888-897. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.10.015
Kumar, N., & Sharma, S. (2017). Survey analysis on the usage and impact of WhatsApp Messenger. Global Journal of Enterprise Information System, 8(3), 52–57. doi: 10.18311/gjeis/2016/15741
Susanti, A., & Tarmuji, A. (2016). Techniques of optimizing WhatsApp as an instructional tool for teaching EFL writing in Indonesian senior high schools. International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature, 4(10), 26–30. doi: 10.20431/2347-3134.0410005
WhatsApp. (2020a). WhatsApp Features. Retrieved from https://www.whatsapp.com/features/.
WhatsApp. (2020b). About WhatsApp. Retrieved from https://www.whatsapp.com/about/