WhatsApp's Evolution with Meta [A Comparative Study]

WhatsApp has come a long way since Facebook (Meta) acquired it. From a simple messaging app, it has evolved dramatically to cater to a wide range of use cases for individuals, businesses, and communities. With its continued growth and expansion, WhatsApp is now even venturing into the realm of payments.

The real question is, is it really as successful as it so seems?

For those of you who don’t know, Meta scrapped the $0.99 one-time download fee and the $1 per year subscription for WhatsApp. That was the only monetization model WhatsApp had.

So how does WhatsApp make money today? What’s keeping it going? Is it making any money? Is the Facebook-WhatsApp deal worth it? So many questions!

Let’s take a look at how WhatsApp has evolved with Meta.

What & Why Was the Facebook-WhatsApp Deal? 🤝 

In February 2014, Facebook announced that it would be acquiring WhatsApp, a popular messaging app with over 400 million users at the time. Facebook's acquisition of WhatsApp was a landmark event in the tech industry and signalled a major shift in the way people communicate and share information.

When Facebook acquired WhatsApp, it was like two superheroes joining forces to save the world. WhatsApp was rapidly gaining popularity, and Facebook saw it as a strategic asset to expand its reach and stay ahead of the competition.

Plus, WhatsApp's highly engaged user base made it a valuable platform for advertising and other revenue-generating activities. It was a match made in tech heaven.

But the acquisition wasn't just about making money. WhatsApp's focus on privacy and encryption was also a major draw for Facebook, as it aligned with its own commitment to user privacy and security. It was like finding a partner who shared the same values and beliefs - a true tech love story.

Since the acquisition, WhatsApp has undergone some changes and updates. In 2016, WhatsApp announced that it would begin sharing user data with Facebook, which caused some people to feel like their privacy was being compromised.

But despite the backlash, WhatsApp has continued to grow in popularity and usage, with over 2 billion users worldwide as of 2021.

The acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook was like the tech equivalent of Batman and Robin teaming up to save Gotham.

How has WhatsApp Evolved Since 🧬 

Since Facebook's acquisition of WhatsApp, the messaging app has undergone some significant changes and improvements.

Expansion of User Base

Facebook's acquisition of WhatsApp has allowed the app to expand beyond its original base of individual users. WhatsApp Business was introduced, enabling businesses to communicate with their customers through the platform.

Additionally, the app's group chat functionality has been expanded to include larger groups and communities, making it easier for people to connect and collaborate.

Improved Security

One of WhatsApp's top priorities is user privacy and security. To that end, end-to-end encryption was introduced to all chats in 2016.

This feature ensures that only the sender and receiver of a message can read its contents, making it one of the most secure messaging apps available.

Introduction of New Features

WhatsApp has introduced a range of new features since the acquisition. These include the ability to make voice and video calls, share documents and files, and even make payments through the app. It also introduced WhatsApp Statuses, avatars, chat locks, chatbots, disappearing messages, and much more.

These features have made WhatsApp a more comprehensive platform for communication and collaboration, which has contributed to its continued popularity.

Integration with Facebook

WhatsApp has been integrated more closely with Facebook since the acquisition. This has allowed users to share their WhatsApp status updates directly on Facebook, but has also been a source of controversy due to privacy concerns and data sharing.

Some Numbers to Evaluate WhatsApp’s Evolution 🔢 

Alright, buckle up folks! Now comes the fun part! We’re going to look at some numbers and data that really prove if all the razzmatazz has resulted in anything.

User Growth

Let's start with user numbers.

As of 2021, WhatsApp has over 2 billion monthly active users worldwide. To put that in perspective, that's more than the entire population of China!

Clearly, the app's popularity has only continued to grow since its acquisition, making it one of the most widely used messaging apps in the world.

In 2013, the monthly active users were around 450 million. When the acquisition happened, it was about 465m. According to the above chart, WhatsApp reported it hit 2 billion monthly active users! Which is a lot!

Below is a quarterly user growth of WhatsApp. As Q1 2023, it was around 2.4 billion.

Looking at more recent numbers.

As per 2023 statistics, it is the 8th most downloaded app on the Google PlayStore. Over 100 billion messages are sent in a single day! It was about 30 billion during the time of acquisition.

Moreover, half a billion people use the Status feature every day on WhatsApp, according to Statista, 2019.

Revenue Growth

But what about revenue?

Well, WhatsApp's revenue model has undergone some changes since the acquisition, with a shift towards business accounts and the exploration of new monetization strategies.

And the results? In 2020, WhatsApp generated $632 million in revenue, which is a pretty impressive number by anyone's standards.

So, what's the verdict?

It seems that all the razzmatazz around WhatsApp's evolution post-Facebook acquisition has definitely paid off.

The app's user base and revenue have both continued to grow, while its focus on privacy and security has helped to maintain user trust. All in all, it's been a pretty successful tech story.

Summary 🏁 

It's worth noting that WhatsApp's popularity has only continued to grow since the acquisition, with the app now boasting over 2.5 billion monthly active users worldwide as of 2023.

This growth is a testament to the app's ability to offer a simple and reliable messaging experience that resonates with users around the world.