You'll Be Able To Call Your Friends For Free On WhatsApp Soon
WhatsApp, the popular messaging service that was recently bought by Facebook, is adding a big feature in a few months: voice calling.
By Sadho Ram — 25 Feb 2014, 04:23 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
Shortly After WhatsApp Was Acquired By Facebook In A USD19 Billion Deal, The Messaging Giant Announced That It Will Soon Be Adding Free Voice Calls For Its 465 Million Users
The world's biggest messaging service WhatsApp will add voice calls to its product in the second quarter of this year, its CEO Jan Koum said, days after its blockbuster USD 19 billion acquisition by Facebook.
moneycontrol.com
"We are driven by the mission that people should be able to stay in touch anywhere and affordably. Our goal is to be on every mobile phone in the world," Koum said on Monday, speaking at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
moneycontrol.comWhatsApp Already Includes The Ability To Send Voice Messages, But Adding Voice Calls Could Be A Real Threat To Carriers Who’ve Already Taken A Hit On SMS Profits Thanks To Free And Cheap Messaging Apps
The company's move will not sit well with telecom operators. Adding free calls threatens telecom revenue source which has been declining anyway as carriers' tweak tariffs to focus on mobile data instead of calls.
thinkdigit.com
CEO Jan Koum noted that he’s been “working with carriers,” suggesting that some telecom giants may be ready to embrace the new app.
technobuffalo.com
The service is expected to be available first on Google's Android and Apple's iOS mobile systems, with rollouts coming later to other platforms such as Windows Phone and BlackBerry, said a report in The New York Times.
cio.comWhatsApp Has 465 Million Monthly Active Users, Which Is 15 Million More Than Facebook. The Service’s Huge International Presence Also Helps Explain Why Facebook Paid USD19 Billion To Own It. Read About The Acquisition Here:
Koum Also Said That WhatsApp Would Launch A Mobile Brand In A Partnership With The German Cellphone Carrier E-Plus
The WhatsApp chief executive said the mobile brand would initially be available only in Germany, though he did not provide any more specifics on the product, which is expected to be launched by the end of the year.
Jan Koum, WhatsApp’s chief executive, speaking at the Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona on Monday.
Image via nytimes.com“The world is moving to data very quickly,” Mr. Koum said in a speech. “Data is the next generation in what is driving the mobile industry.”
thinkdigit.com
He added that Whatsapp will continue to function the same way as it was before the Facebook acquisition. “There are no planned changes and we will continue to do what we set out to do, even after the acquisition closes,” Koum said. “Still no marketing.”
thinkdigit.com
A Look At Some Of The Most Popular Messaging Apps free With Feature Of Voice Calling Between Two Individuals Or In Groups
Developed by Naver Corp. in 2011, LINE is a free messaging app that has become hugely successful in Japan and Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand. LINE is a new communication app that allows you to make FREE voice calls and send FREE messages whenever and wherever you are, 24 hours a day!
boston.com
Created by Cyprus-based Viber Media, Viber offers its core Internet phone call function for free to its 280 million global users. Japan’s top online retailer Rakuten Inc. said last week it will buy Viber for $900 million as the retail giant is eager to expand outside Japan.
Created in 2010 by Kakao, a South Korea startup, Kakao Talk spread quickly in South Korea along with rapid adoption of smartphones. It has become the go-to free messaging and voice calling service enjoyed by nearly all Korean smartphone users, giving birth to new idioms such as ‘‘Let’s do Ka Talk.’’
