you still don’t know the history of WhatsApp even though you use this application every day? Well, don’t worry, in this article we show you everything you need to know about the origin and evolution of the most popular messaging app in the world.
Currently, it is very strange that there are still people who do not know from an early age what WhatsApp is. It is one of the most important instant messaging services in the world. It has crossed frontiers and has narrowed communications across the globe.
However, there are elements about this application that you probably do not know, for example, who created it or in which countries its use is prohibited. Therefore, in this post we tell you all about WhatsApp.
stay tuned and find out what is the history of WhatsApp and other relevant data!
what is WhatsApp?
Before we dive into the history of WhatsApp, let’s see what this specific application is.
Whatsapp Messenger is an instant messaging application that allows you to send and receive text, video and audio messages, make calls, create groups and even have a product catalog and shopping cart through WhatsApp Business.
The only requirement to use this free application is to have a cell phone number and an Internet connection via data or Wi-Fi. In addition to the functions mentioned above, it is interesting to note that, over the years, WhatsApp has been incorporating new features that are of particular interest to those involved in community management or digital marketing.
As our teacher Gustavo Ortega would define it well in his Community Management for Beginners course:
“WhatsApp is the most important messaging service in the world and the most used in Latin America. With an impressive user base, which to date has not been exploited 100%, even by brands such as Meta or Twitter”.
Source: Pexels.
what is the history of WhatsApp?
Now yes, let’s continue with the history of WhatsApp. Let’s see who created WhatsApp and how the idea behind this application came about:
If you are wondering when WhatsApp was created, you should know that its beginnings are located in 2009, according to the official history. It was an idea of a young entrepreneur: Jan Koum, who wanted to create an application that would allow sending notifications to friends. However, the idea was later transformed to become an instant messaging type application.
Shortly thereafter, Brian Acton became involved in the project and became the app’s co-founder. During the fall of 2009, the first version of WhatsApp did not grow very well. Acton contacted several friends currently working at Yahoo! and managed to raise $250,000 in funding to continue working on the promotion and development of the project.
The application’s logo is another of its distinctive features. It is a text bubble with a phone inside it.
During WhatsApp’s history, hardly any changes have been made to this logo.
what are the features of WhatsApp?
During WhatsApp’s history, the application has been adjusting to the needs of users in the digital world. To learn more about how this has happened, we invite you to learn about WhatsApp’s features in detail:
The WhatsApp application allows:
Send and receive text and audio messages.
Make calls and video calls using the VoIP protocol.
Share statuses in real time, which would become WhatsApp stories.
Send and receive photos, videos, documents or gifs.
Edit the photos and videos to be sent.
Know if messages have been read through the “double-check”.
Create group chats with up to 256 members.
Send your location in real time to another contact.
what are the functions of Whatsapp?
To take a more in-depth look at the features and how WhatasApp works, let’s take a brief look at the functions that the creators of WhatsApp have been incorporating and perfecting:
1. Calls and video calls
Calls in WhatsApp work like regular calls, but can only be made from one mobile to another, not to landlines. This is because calls through this application use data and not the mobile balance, which allows calls to be international without great costs.
In the case of video calls, more data is consumed with respect to messages or audio calls, in addition to draining the battery quite quickly. Therefore, if you want to use this option, it is recommended that you do so via a Wi-Fi connection.
2. File transfer
On WhatsApp you can share almost any type of file, including applications, stickers for WhatsApp or files that are not necessarily compatible with a mobile interface, such as Photoshop, etc.
Of course, you will then have to access them from a computer to download them. However, it is worth mentioning that there is a file size limit for making videos via WhatsApp, and possibly only videos will reach such a size.
Broadcast messaging
Another of WhatsApp‘s most useful features is that it allows you to send the same message simultaneously to up to 5 contacts, without having to copy and paste the message over and over again, or include those people in the same chat.
Statuses
In the statuses you can share videos, images, links or gifs with your contacts, who will be able to see your status for 24 hours. This option is very similar to Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat stories.
You can even configure in your privacy settings who of your contacts can or cannot see your statuses.
WhatsApp Web
Finally, there’s WhatsApp Web, which is the version of the app that lets you view your Whatsapp conversations and files on a computer or tablet. It is accessed through a QR code via your smartphone so that an immediate synchronization is made.
The only negative point is that you must have your mobile in relative proximity to the computer from which you view the web version of WhatsApp, or else the connection will be lost.
Currently, a Beta version is available that allows you to connect from your PC or tablet without having to keep both devices synchronized. But first, you must download the messages from the last backup, so it can represent a substantial data consumption.
WhatsApp Business
The most significant leap that has occurred in the history of WhatsApp has been to incorporate into the application an opportunity for businesses to create a closer link with their customers.
With WhatsApp Business, it is possible to create automatic response messages to customers, implement chatbots in WhatsApp, and even create a catalog of products or services and activate a shopping cart.
In these cases, the biography for WhatsApp should focus on providing more information about the business profile and not the person behind the phone number.
Source: Pexels.
what are the advantages and disadvantages of WhatsApp?
Since the most recent privacy terms implemented by the messaging application that concerns us today, there is a constant debate between which is the better app: WhatsApp or Telegram.
Therefore, to end this article on the history of WhatsApp, we leave you with the main advantages and disadvantages of the application.
WhatsApp advantages
Compatible with Android, Windows and iOS.
Allows sending unlimited messages, videos, images, files and more only with an Internet connection.
It incorporates calls and video calls, in addition to voice messages.
It works without the need of a SIM card, you only need to have an operator.
It has an infallible privacy service thanks to the encryption of chats.
It is possible to change an account to another number without losing the data of the previous one.
Disadvantages of WhatsApp
You could receive messages from anyone, even if they are in your contact list.
Backups sometimes do not work or take too long to recover the saved information.
There is a fairly low limit to the number of members in a group chat.
It is prohibited in the following countries: China, Arab Emirates, North Korea, Iran and Syria.
We know that the WhatsApp story will continue to evolve with new features and facilities to improve communication between people. Finally, we hope we have given you some good tips for using Whatsapp by explaining its features and peculiarities.