WhatsApp is one of the fastest growing mobile messaging services in the world and the company behind it is now enjoying the benefits of having over 400 million active users.
WhatsApp allows users to send texts, audio clips, video clips and photos over the Internet. In October, the company said the app's userbase has grown to 350 million users and now it says it has broken the 400 million active user mark. It means it is now the largest messaging service in the world encompassing both iOS and Android users and the app now has more users than mico-blogging site Twitter, which has over 232 million active users. Only Facebook has more active users than WhatsApp.
In terms of users alone, Facebook is still on top with over 1.2 billion active users. However, the speed at which WhatsApp is growing may soon change that. Mobile messaging services have been constantly gaining ground against more traditional social media networks and the trend is continuing to escalate. Facebook will do well to be wary of companies like WhatsApp.
Traditional wireless carriers like AT&T and Verizon are already feeling the pressure since unlimited data services coupled with mobile messaging services like WhatsApp have taken its toll on SMS profits.
"Today, we're proud to announce that because of you, WhatsApp has reached a milestone that no other mobile messaging service has achieved: 400 million monthly active users, with 100 million active users added in the last four months alone. This isn't a count of people who just registered for WhatsApp - it's the number of people who are actively using the service every single month," WhatsApp said in a statement.
The small company, which employs only 50 people, most of whom are engineers, has been constantly surprising the technology industry. The company has been relying almost exclusively on word of mouth and organic marketing techniques without leveraging on expensive marketing campaigns. Moreover, the company has also refused to allow ads on its app.
The company relies on a meager $1 per year subscription to keep the profits coming in. Aside from the affordable annual fee, new users also get to enjoy a free year where they can use WhatsApp services without paying a single cent. The company continues to break down boundaries with their innovative approach and affordable pricing scheme and the direction it's going, we won't be surprised if it overtakes Facebook soon.
