What is WhatsApp?

WhatsApp is a popular messaging app that allows users to communicate with each other through text, audio, and video messages. WhatsApp is available on various platforms, including Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone. There are also versions of WhatsApp for desktop computers and tablets. WhatsApp has over 1 billion active users worldwide.

In This Article

How does WhatsApp work?

WhatsApp is a cross-platform messaging app that allows users to communicate with each other. WhatsApp does not require a login or password; instead, it uses your phone number as your login. Once you have installed WhatsApp on your phone, you can use it to send and receive text messages, audio messages, video messages, and documents.

Who can use WhatsApp?

To establish a WhatsApp account, you must be at least 13 years old. You must be at least 16 years old in the European Union to register for a WhatsApp account. If WhatsApp discovers that an underage person is using its service, it may deactivate its accounts.

Anyone can use WhatsApp, as long as they agree to the terms of service and do not utilize the site for spam or criminal activities. However, in certain countries, such as China, North Korea, and Iran, access to WhatsApp may be restricted. This is certainly subject to change depending on the political climate in any given nation. However, if you use VPN software to get around these barriers, you should be able to access WhatsApp in these nations.

Who owns WhatsApp?

WhatsApp was created by Brian Acton and Jan Koum, who both used to work at Yahoo. They founded the company in 2009, and it has since grown into a major player in the messaging app market.

WhatsApp is now owned by Facebook after the social media giant bought it for $19 billion in 2014. WhatsApp has continued to operate as a separate entity within Facebook, though there have been some changes made to the app since the acquisition.

Why is WhatsApp so popular?

There are a few reasons WhatsApp is so popular. One reason is that it is a cross-platform app, meaning it can be used on multiple types of devices. This makes it convenient for people who use different types of devices. Another reason is that WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption, which means that messages are private and secure. This is appealing to users who are concerned about privacy. Finally, WhatsApp is free to use, which makes it affordable for people all over the world.

Features of WhatsApp

Users of WhatsApp can now share their real-time location via messages. They may also use WhatsApp to send quick messages to a group of people in group conversations by making lists of friends, which is probably the most appealing aspect of the app. Users can stay connected with individuals outside the United States or any country without having to pay international texting fees using WhatsApp.

Live Location Tracking

WhatsApp now allows you to share your current location in real-time. This function lets you inform a friend or loved one of your precise position. When meeting friends in a crowded place, or simply wanting to notify someone that you have arrived at your destination safely, this feature could be useful.

To use it you:

1. Open the contact for which you’d want to share your location.
2. Select the + sign for IO S, or choose the paperclip on the lower left side of your screen if you use Android.
3. Choose ‘Location’
4. When the map appears, choose the ‘Share Live Location’ option.
5. You’ll see a notification stating, “Participants in this chat will be able to see your real-time location.” Even if you’re not using the app, You may pause sharing at any moment.

It’s vital to keep in mind that you’re allowing another person to observe your actions. Use the functionality with individuals you know and trust only. Parents should have a discussion with their children on location sharing and discourage them from doing it.

Editing Features

WhatsApp has also added the ability to remove messages that you may have inadvertently sent. This may be useful if you messaged the wrong person. The next upgrade to messaging software will look at adding a ‘Reply Privately’ option while in a group chat.

WhatsApp has added the ability to select and respond to messages in a group chat. It ensures that individuals in a group can more readily follow discussions and answer certain inquiries or make comments on group material.

WHATSAPP ON THE WEB AND ONTO YOUR DESKTOP

You can sync all of your conversations on WhatsApp for the web and desktop to your computer so that you may chat on whatever device is most convenient for you.

VOICE AND VIDEO CALLS

You can talk to your pals and family for free if you use WhatsApp voice or video calls. You may even conduct face-to-face conversations with friends and family members who live in another country or video talks. Because WhatsApp voice and video chats utilize your phone’s Internet connection rather than your cell plan’s voice minutes, You’ll never have to worry about high calling costs again.

END-TO-END ENCRYPTION

WhatsApp designed end-to-end encryption into the most recent versions of an app because some of your most intimate moments are captured on WhatsApp, which is why incorporated it. When your conversations and calls are encrypted end-to-end, only you and the person you’re talking to can read or listen to them, and no one else.

It’s simple to share documents with anyone

Send large files, such as PDFs, documents, spreadsheets, slideshows, and more without the trouble of email or file-sharing applications. You can send files up to 100 MB in size, making it easy to supply what you need to anybody.

Other similar messaging apps

While WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, there are other options available.

WeChat
WeChat is a Chinese multi-purpose messaging, social media, and mobile payment app developed by Tencent. It was first released in 2011, and by 2018 it was one of the world’s largest standalone mobile apps by monthly active users, with over 1 billion monthly active users.

Viber
Viber is a cross-platform VoIP and instant messaging app for smartphones. It is developed by the Japanese multinational company Rakuten. The app allows users to make calls as well as send text messages, images, and other media.

LINE
LINE is a Japanese freeware app for instant communications on electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet computers, and personal computers. LINE users exchange texts, images, video, and audio, and conduct free VoIP conversations and video conferences.

Telegram
Telegram is a cross-platform cloud-based instant messaging service. It was founded by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov. Telegram Messenger LLP is registered in London, UK. The service also provides end-to-end encrypted video calling, VoIP, and file sharing.

Messenger
Messenger, formerly known as Facebook Chat, is a messaging service and software application provided by Facebook. The standalone app supports text messaging, group chats, photo sending, and voice and video calling.

Discord
Discord is a VoIP, instant messaging, and digital distribution platform designed for creating communities. It is developed by Hammer & Chisel Inc. and was first released in 2015. The app is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and web browsers.

Signal
Signal is a cross-platform encrypted messaging service developed by the Signal Foundation and Signal Messenger LLC. It uses the Internet to send one-to-one and group messages, which can include files, voice notes, images, and videos. It can also make one-to-one voice and video calls.

Skype
Skype is a telecommunications application that specializes in providing video chat and voice calls between computers, tablets, mobile devices, the Xbox One console, and smartwatches via the Internet. Skype also provides instant messaging services. Users may transmit both text and video messages and may exchange digital documents such as images, text, and video. Skype allows video conference calls.

FAQ’s ABOUT WHAT IS WHATSAPP

What is the process of encryption in WhatsApp?

WhatsApp encryption is a process that uses a cryptographic key to encode data. This key is generated on the sender’s device and is used to encrypt the data before it is sent. The data is then decrypted on the recipient’s device using the same key.

How do I know if a contact is using WhatsApp?

If you are not sure if the contact is using WhatsApp, you can ask them. WhatsApp will notify you when a contact is added to your phone’s contacts list if they are already using the app.