There has been a lot of transition since WhatsApp was launched. Some features have been phased out and new features were added. Over the years, it has become the most popular instant messaging app. So what was and what is? The co-founders of WhatsApp, Brian Acton, and Jan Koum first launched the IOS version in the US market. The launching of Android in 2008 was the perfect breeding ground for entrepreneurial ventures. At the time, Android applications were scarce—an opportunity for the founders. So they introduced the Android version. Slowly by slowly, it picked up, and by 2010 it was launched.
The WhatsApp features were added gradually. They started with SMS or texts which later became obsolete as the instant messaging feature was adopted. Later on, WhatsApp added a new feature—the ability to send photos. In 2015, GIF images became also a new feature and blew up the internet.
Then in 2014, WhatsApp was bought by Facebook. Zuckerberg was now in charge of the WhatsApp changes. He kicked off with several changes like ‘mark who can see your profile status, the double blue check (quickly deactivated), and voice calls—this feature became popular. It also had many competitors; Skype, Viber, and Line. It caught on fast because users already used the competitor apps to make calls over the internet. After the voice call feature was launched, the roadmap led to video calls. The video call launch was intentionally delayed to cater to users in WhatsApp’s dominant markets with slow connectivity.
In Jan 2015, WhatsApp web was added. It was a handy feature for people working in offices. They didn’t have to toggle between their smartphones and PCs. Shortly after, in 2016, WhatsApp introduced a two-step verification feature for users of the Android beta to enhance security by adding an email ID to a WhatsApp account. The WhatsApp system is designed to be anonymous as possible. You don’t have to provide personal details to have an account. The enhanced data security also included end-to-end encryption —no one can eavesdrop on your messages. It was launched in April 2016.