According to recent data, the number of people making use of free messaging service WhatsApp has increased dramatically.
In fact, analysts have found that around 30 billion messages are sent through the online platform by its 700 million users every day, compared to just 20 billion SMS communications.
According to figures from Ofcom, traditional text traffic peaked a number of years ago, in 2011, with usage figures declining ever since. As such, with WhatsApp outperforming SMS by 50%, some are predicting that the world of texting could be changing for ever.
However, an analyst for venture capital company Andreessen Horowitz, Benedict Evans, has predicted that while a number of firms are taking bites out of the traditional text market, including the likes of Instagram, Snapchat, and Viber, it is likely that no clear frontrunner will emerge.
Talking to The Telegraph, Evans stated that looking at the issue in terms of winners was the wrong way to go about it, as the various messaging services are used for different means. As such, the public could be using one platform for normal messaging, while another for video chat, as well as others for more niche services.
With the character and functions of the various threads and news feeds each providing a unique platform for users to communicate, the use of multiple channels looks only set to rise. Also, according to recent figures, certain areas may prefer certain platforms, such as Facebook Messenger in America and WeChat in Asia. WhatsApp has so far seen growth worldwide.
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