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Groups > comp.misc > #688

500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it

From RS Wood <rswood@therandymon.com>
Newsgroups comp.misc
Subject 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it
Date 2014-02-22 10:45 +0000
Organization solani.org
Message-ID <le9v4v$c93$1@solani.org> (permalink)

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From the "I am back on AIM" department:
Title: WhatsApp lost 500,000 of its users to Telegram, but most others seem happy to stay
Author: Jon Russell
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 15:39:19 -0500
Link: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNextWeb/~3/NivHhG4RLoE/
Podcast Download URL: http://cdn3.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/02/whatsapp1-520x245.jpg

[image 1]

There doesn’t appear to be drones of WhatsApp users running for a rival
service following the messaging app’s $19 billion acquisition by Facebook[2].
Telegram — a security-focused messenger from Russia — looks to have netted
the bulk of the migrants after announcing a record 500,000 new sign-ups after
the deal, while other apps enjoying spikes include Threema, which attracted
200,000 new users[3].

To the good news. 500,000 people signed up for Telegram today.

— Telegram Messenger (@telegram) February 20, 2014[4]

Reviews of the Telegram app on Google Play show plenty of new users who
switched over from WhatsApp because it is now owned by Facebook:

[image 6][5]

Launched last year, Telegram is a messaging client for iOS and Android that
is very WhatsApp-like with a basic user interface and focus on sending
messages quickly and efficiently. Like its big rival, Telegram doesn’t serve
ads, but there are key differences between the two.

WhatsApp charges users $1 per year after an initial 12 months for free, but
Telegram is free to use forever. Telegram’s core appeal is a strong focus on
security[7], an area where WhatsApp is less steady[8]. It is open source and
based on a custom data protocol, which has led to a roster of unofficial apps
being developed and offered by enthusiasts.

Founders Nikolai and Pavel Durov launched Russian social network VK, and are
focused on making Telegram a non-profit organization that is solely focused
on serving its users.

Its website explains[9] that Telgram is not for sale[10], and sheds light on
its donation-based funding structure:

We believe in fast and secure messaging that is also 100 percent free.

Commercial companies frequently face the need to compromise their values
for financial gain. This is why we made Telegram a non-commercial project.
Telegram is not intended to bring revenue, it will never sell ads or accept
outside investment. It also cannot be sold. We’re not building a “user
base”, we are building a messenger for the people.

Pavel Durov, who shares our vision, supplied Telegram with a generous
donation through his Digital Fortress fund, so we have quite enough money
for the time being. If Telegram runs out, we’ll invite our users to donate
or add non-essential paid options.

TechCrunch reported[11] that the app had 100,000 daily active users in late
October 2013, no further update has been shared since then.

Aside from picking up a sizable boost from the WhatsApp deal, Telegram has
made steady progress in Spain — where WhatsApp rules the messaging roost and
Japan’s Line is challenging:

@alt1040[12] Actually, it’s over 200.000 new Spanish users daily now. And
still growing. ))

— Telegram Messenger (@telegram) February 5, 2014[13]

To be clear, though a promising start for Telegram, this is not an immediate
threat to WhatsApp. The company adds over one million new sign-ups per day,
and losing 500,000 users to Telegram – assuming that they all came from
WhatsApp – would represent a mere 0.1 percent of its total active user base.

WhatsApp appears to have gotten a good reception from its users, with few
sightings of user protests and little evidence of large scale fleeing. It
seems that most fully believe the company and Facebook when they say things
won’t change, or simply aren’t interested in switching to a rival service.

Headline image via LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images[14]
[image 16][15][image 18][17][image 20][19][image 21]

Links:
[1]: http://cdn3.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/02/whatsapp1-520x245.jpg (image)
[2]: http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2014/02/19/facebook-acquires-whatsapp-16-billion/ (link)
[3]: http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/21/bye-bye-whatsapp-germans-switch-to-threema-for-privacy-reasons/ (link)
[4]: https://twitter.com/telegram/statuses/436648220392161280 (link)
[5]: http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/02/telegram.png (link)
[6]: http://cdn2.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/02/telegram-730x197.png (image)
[7]: https://telegram.org/blog/crowdsourcing-a-more-secure-future (link)
[8]: http://pando.com/2014/02/21/the-problem-with-whatsapps-privacy-boasts-theyre-not-true/ (link)
[9]: https://telegram.org/faq#q-how-are-you-going-to-make-money-out-of-this (link)
[10]: https://twitter.com/telegram/statuses/436790170445414400 (link)
[11]: http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/27/meet-telegram-a-secure-messaging-app-from-the-founders-of-vk-russias-largest-social-network/ (link)
[12]: https://twitter.com/alt1040 (link)
[13]: https://twitter.com/telegram/statuses/431035097119088640 (link)
[14]: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/the-logo-of-mobile-app-whatsapp-is-displayed-on-a-tablet-on-news-photo/460308557 (link)
[15]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheNextWeb?a=NivHhG4RLoE:YnooDJh7BYM:D7DqB2pKExk (link)
[16]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheNextWeb?i=NivHhG4RLoE:YnooDJh7BYM:D7DqB2pKExk (image)
[17]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheNextWeb?a=NivHhG4RLoE:YnooDJh7BYM:yIl2AUoC8zA (link)
[18]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheNextWeb?d=yIl2AUoC8zA (image)
[19]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheNextWeb?a=NivHhG4RLoE:YnooDJh7BYM:V_sGLiPBpWU (link)
[20]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheNextWeb?i=NivHhG4RLoE:YnooDJh7BYM:V_sGLiPBpWU (image)
[21]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheNextWeb/~4/NivHhG4RLoE (image)

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500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it RS Wood  <rswood@therandymon.com> - 2014-02-22 10:45 +0000
  Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it "q.kontinuum" <achsis_of_elvis@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-02-22 12:36 +0100
  Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Shadow <Sh@dow.br> - 2014-02-22 10:28 -0300
    Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it "Andy K." <andy.k466@gmail.com> - 2014-02-22 15:20 +0100
    Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it "q.kontinuum" <achsis_of_elvis@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-02-22 15:37 +0100
      Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Shadow <Sh@dow.br> - 2014-02-22 12:01 -0300
    Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-02-22 17:38 +0000
      Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Shadow <Sh@dow.br> - 2014-02-22 16:48 -0300
    Re: [OT] 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Shadow <Sh@dow.br> - 2014-02-23 13:34 -0300
      Re: [OT] 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it "q.kontinuum" <achsis_of_elvis@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-02-23 19:44 +0100
        Re: [OT] 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Shadow <Sh@dow.br> - 2014-02-23 16:59 -0300
          Re: [OT] 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Kees Nuyt <k.nuyt@nospam.demon.nl> - 2014-02-23 22:11 +0100
            Re: [OT] 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it polygonum <rmoudndgers@vrod.co.uk> - 2014-02-23 21:31 +0000
              Re: [OT] 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Shadow <Sh@dow.br> - 2014-02-24 12:35 -0300
                Re: [OT] 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-02-25 13:19 +0000
          Re: [OT] 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it "q.kontinuum" <achsis_of_elvis@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-02-24 07:47 +0100
  Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Fum <fum@fum.fum> - 2014-02-23 01:20 +0000
    Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-02-23 02:55 +0000
      Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Fum <fum@fum.fum> - 2014-02-23 08:50 +0000
        Omea Reader (was 500K users left ...) RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-02-23 09:25 +0000
          Re: Omea Reader (was 500K users left ...) Fum <fum@fum.fum> - 2014-02-23 10:00 +0000
        Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2014-02-23 09:28 +0000
          Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Fum <fum@fum.fum> - 2014-02-23 09:41 +0000
            Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2014-02-23 09:44 +0000
              Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Fum <fum@fum.fum> - 2014-02-23 10:03 +0000
                Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2014-02-23 13:11 +0000
              Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it wjwlsn <ibillwilson@gmail.com> - 2014-02-23 11:14 +0000
                Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2014-02-23 17:31 +0000
          Netiquette WAS: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it "q.kontinuum" <achsis_of_elvis@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-02-23 12:39 +0100
            Re: Netiquette WAS: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2014-02-23 13:14 +0000
              Re: Netiquette WAS: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Fum <fum@fum.fum> - 2014-02-23 16:04 +0000
                Re: Netiquette WAS: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-02-24 05:34 +0000
        Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-02-24 05:29 +0000
    Re: 500K users left WhatsApp when Facebook bought it Fum <fum@fum.fum> - 2014-02-24 07:32 +0000

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