A Rollercoaster Ride for Meta’s Messenger
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Meta’s WhatsApp, the worldwide messenger infamous for covert government conversations, is dealing with a download drama akin to a superhero forgetting their superpowers.
Let’s take a short look back. “Well, everyone and their grandma already has WhatsApp, right?” you would think. That’s correct, amigos, and the software comes pre-installed on many Android devices, much like a surprise party, you didn’t RSVP for. So it wasn’t a shocking surprise when fresh downloads opted to nap.
But wait for it – things are getting spicy!
Consider this: WhatsApp downloads have been playing hide-and-seek since 2020, not in a good way. We’re talking about a 50% reduction, people. To put it into figures that even your math-phobic friend can comprehend, it dropped from 63 million downloads in January 2020 to 31 million in January 2023. Yes, you read that correctly.
“Everyone has WhatsApp” no longer holds water, does it
Guess who the culprits are? Enter Telegram and Signal, two competitors that decided to seize the spotlight. It’s as though WhatsApp stumbled on a digital banana peel, allowing Telegram and Signal to swoop in and swat subscribers as quickly as a hawk looking for treats. Signal also has a co-founder who used to be part of WhatsApp’s inner circle – now that’s some spicy drama. They started stealing users in 2020 and 2021, stealing more people than a magician can pull rabbits out of hats.
Why? Well, WhatsApp tripped on its digital shoelaces, and privacy activists lifted their flags high, yelling, “Switch away, comrades!”
Despite being the David to WhatsApp’s Goliath, Telegram and Signal grew their fan bases, and their downloads skyrocketed as WhatsApp’s plummeted. This might have cost WhatsApp 50 million potential new members – equivalent to missing out on a galaxy-sized slice of cake!
But guess what? Summer brought sunshine for all three.WhatsApp’s download engine has sprung to life, increasing 34% since April. Telegram, the underdog, jumped in with a 14% gain. This equates to 43 million for WhatsApp and 25 million for Telegram. On the other hand, signal, let’s just say it grew, but it’s more of a sidekick in this epic narrative.
The App Store loves WhatsApp like a true American hero, while Google Play’s crush on it can only be matched by India’s sizzling-hot affection.
Here’s a juicy nugget for your tech trivia nights: The United States reigns supreme as the App Store’s download champion for WhatsApp. But what about Google Play? Oh, India has that crown, and they’re wearing it proudly. What are their downloads? Five times the size of the App Store!
So there you have it: WhatsApp’s download dance, complete with twists and turns and rivalries as intense as a summer BBQ. Stay tuned because you never know when this digital drama will throw another narrative twist at us!
Infographic source: AppFigures
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