A new report from a data analytics company puts WhatsApp at the top, claiming that it's the most popular messaging app for Android in more than 100 countries.
With mobile use on the rise, messaging apps are a big part of the way we communicate nowadays. We have a slew of options to choose from, and each app comes with its own benefits and drawbacks.
Facebook-owned WhatsApp, however, seems to have quite a successful recipe, as a new report from SimilarWeb says it's the world leader. SimilarWeb conducted a study using Android data from 187 countries, and WhatsApp ranked top in 109 of them, grabbing 55.6 percent of the world. The highly anticipated WhatsApp video calling feature will likely boost the app's appeal even more.
Facebook Messenger, meanwhile, ranked second overall, enjoying popularity in 109 countries. While there are plenty of other messaging apps out there, a third one worthy of mention is Viber.
Although it's still far from becoming the number one globally, Viber is the only one aside from WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger to seize a user base in 10 or more countries. It's strongly popular in Eastern Europe, it's the top messaging app in Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine and others, and it was installed on 65 percent of all Android devices in Ukraine as of April 2016, according to the report. The app is also popular in other global regions such as Sri Lanka, Libya and Iraq.
BlackBerry's BBM, however, continues to drop in popularity, if these figures are anything to go by. Once at the top of the food chain, BBM is now the top messaging app in just one country: Indonesia. As of April 2016, BBM was installed on 87.5 percent of all Android devices in Indonesia, outpacing BBM use in any other country.
In a stark contrast, just 0.42 percent of all Android devices in the U.S. used the BBM app. SimilarWeb says BBM use was slightly higher in the UK and Australia, but doesn't offer any specifics.
Is your favorite messaging app among the top three? If not, which other Android messaging app do you rely on? Share your thoughts in our comment section below.
