In twenty or thirty years we will call this era “the WhatsApp era” . Each decade has its symbols and myths: if the early 2000s were those of the 2.0 revolution and the arrival of Facebook , the second decade of the new millennium is undoubtedly dominated by the instant messaging application. Reaching one billion monthly users in just under seven years is a feat that very few technological devices have succeeded in, and never before has an application been so successful.
WhatsApp had the merit of retiring SMS, the tool most used by users to communicate before the mass spread of the application. In many cases it has revolutionized the modus operandi of companies and workers , shortening geographical distances and uniting people scattered around the world. Over the years, the application has changed profoundly, thanks to the continuous updates released by the developers. From a simple instant messaging application it has become a platform where you can share images, videos and documents , all for free and in just a few seconds. Let’s see how the WhatsApp phenomenon was born and how the application ofmost used instant messaging in the world.
When the WhatsApp phenomenon was born
The instant messaging application was created in 2009 by two former Yahoo employees, Jan Koum and Brian Acton. The two of them want to create an app that gives the possibility to aeteti to exchange messages for free using their phone number and the Internet. After a few months of work, the two programmers give life to WhatsApp : the name is the fusion of the English words “what’s up?” (how’s it going?) and app (from application). At first the application is only available for iPhone users, but in a short time the app is also released for Android, BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone and Symbian (operating systems that today have an infinitesimal market share, but that seven years ago were used by at least 10-15% of users).
In a short time WhatsApp becomes a real mass phenomenon with millions of users enthusiastic about the service offered. With a spread like wildfire, the application soon surpasses the barrier of one hundred million active users every month. To support development costs, WhatsApp also introduces the obligation to pay an annual subscription of 0.99 US cents (just over 80 euro cents) in order to use the application. The “tax” was removed only in January 2016, giving all users the opportunity to use WhatsApp for free.
Buying by Facebook
Such a large number of users and such rapid growth could only attract the attention of the Silicon Valley giants . Everyone tried to buy the application, with pharaonic offers, but the two programmers always refused. Until February 2014, when the company accepts the offer of 19 billion (between cash and shares) by Facebook : Jan Koum and Brian Acton remain in command of the company, but the ownership passes to Mark Zuckerberg who in this way sums up all the people who use Facebook Messenger to WhatsApp users.
The company’s purchase of Menlo Park did not change WhatsApp development projects which continued in its race to reach the billion users, announced by Jan Koum in February 2016. WhatsApp became the first application to achieve this goal. Much of the success is due to the ease of use and free services that the app has managed to implement over the years .
How WhatsApp works
If you have just installed WhatsApp and don’t know what to do, don’t worry: using the application is really very simple . After downloading WhatsApp from the online store, you need to wait a few minutes for installation and then you can start configuring your account. You will be asked for your phone number and you will finally be able to use the services of the instant messaging application. To start a chat just go to the Contacts section , press on your friend’s name and a screen will open where you can start sending messages. Whatsappit also offers the possibility of creating groups where you can communicate quickly with your friends and organize soccer matches and dinners on Saturday evenings.
Over the years WhatsApp has developed many new services : if at the beginning it was a simple app where you can exchange messages, today users can send photos, videos and text documents or PDF files. But not only. WhatsApp offers the ability to edit images taken directly within the application giving users the ability to insert emoticons and funny Snapchat-style writings.
The application also allows you to make calls and video calls using your smartphone’s Internet connection . The first function was introduced between February and March 2015 , while the ability to make video calls was introduced in November 2016 . Especially this last feature was loudly requested by the people of WhatsApp.
How to use WhatsApp from your computer
You can also use the instant messaging application via the web. In fact, the company created the web.whatsapp.com online platform that reproduces the application environment on the home computer. To use the web-app, just enter the site, scan the QR code on the page via the smartphone application and in a few seconds all our WhatsApp chats will appear on the screen . Logically, the service is free and supports the same services present on the mobile application.
