whatsapp - anybody uses it?
 

I had to install this app. Ok, maybe it is good, but what are the benefits over skype, viber etc?
Also - why it has to be connected with your phone number? Why can't you have just a regular username without associating with the phone?

I just installed it so maybe I am missing some points here :)

I used it 2 times. once from a friend who was on it and another from a friend who didnt want to install facebook messenger and used whatsapp instead.
after those 2 times never used it again. will probably delete it

Anyone use it?
Everyone uses it.

Never used it.

Big player pushing their texting app to further track all of your communications :2 cents:

i never used it

yeah, its a cool app, use more for people that is not the whole day behind the computer

It's super popular in Latin America. I use it to talk to all my homies in Costa Rica and some whores in Panama.

Ok, but explain what is the point of linking it to your phone number?
I fail to understand why couldn't they have regular user names instead of making you use your phone number? Except for conspiracy of tracking you more.
I do not see any benefit of having phone numbers instead of text user names (like skype for example).

And second question - what is the benefit over skype, viber phone apps? Sounds like more hassle of having extra app.

Facebook mines your PM's to better market you, why wouldn't they do that with whatsapp?

I don't use it, dont see the need my phone has this built in SMS thing that sends text and images to my selected contacts already.

Firstly whatsapp was not the property of FB at the beginning. Secondly - you can have phone verification even with normal usernames.
My question is merely - why did they decide to have usernames as phone numbers when that has nothing to do with your phone?

Like instead of having my username mineistaken why must I have username of +14552455545421 ?
It has nothing to do with your phone as currently I am using whatsapp on the phone with different phone number than my whatsapp number (which was used just for verification).

Point of whatsapp is that you can send "free" sms not only locally but worldwide. Question is what is the point of whatsapp over skype (which usually has more contacts anyway).

About the phone number I don't know.

But my wife uses it for the school where my son goes. It allows the parents to be in touch and know whats going on. etc.

Difference from skype? no idea but the parents seem to like it.

Hugely popular in EU, been using it for about 4 years now. It's very handy for keeping in touch with friends across the globe for free. You can generate groups to keep in touch with multiple friends about events and so on.

Because you can see other peoples from your phone book using whatsapp, it's pretty cool and very popular in my country..

Makes some sense now :)

Do you or your countrymen also use skype on the phone?

And then which one do they prefer more? I mean lets say you see your friend live on skype and live on whatsapp, where would you hit him up and why?

This is exactly why I installed it. A friend of mine is vacationing in Hawaii and doesn't want to pay roaming texting fees, so we just talk over whatsapp.

For the low low cost of free I can already SMS 99% in my contacts list.
And the other 1% I never really think about the cost should I need to message them.
I see no point in adding yet one more messaging system.

This app is obviously for those who does not have free sms or those that have friends, partners abroad. So while I understand that you do not have the need for it, I just explained why it is not the same as sms like you tried to imply.

Well, same question for you - why not skype? I do not believe you did not have skype (or whatever messanger you use) member ID already.

Facebook owns whatsapp.

Facebook owns instagram.

Facebook is in the information business.

Facebook provides the platforms for communication and mines the data of those platforms to make money. Money for data. The data from whatsapp is what will make Facebook money.

No conspiracy. Facts.

I get what you are saying and I was not implying anything other than the only difference for some people is the cost as a phone is already able to send txt and images...
Even then people could use BBM,. Skype, ICQ or any number of apps to do the same .. In some cases like skype etc.. they already have accounts and contacts. I don't see the big draw to the app and not the alternatives ...

I have a few skype accounts, but my friend does not. She uses whatsapp. So I installed whatsapp to talk to her. *shrug*

How the fuck is that relevant when I already said that FB did not own whatsapp at the beginning!
And how the fuck is that relevant when I said that you could mine the same info having usernames (just confirmed by sms the same way) instead of numbers?

You are missing the point completely...

Same here, that is why I opened this thread. I had a skype chat with a business partner and he asked if I had whats app. I was like "why do you want to chat via whatsapp while we already chat via skype" :)

Another thread where you're getting your wires crossed.

I mentioned tracking. You referred to tracking as a conspiracy. I never mentioned phone numbers at all. I'm addressing your comment indicating that tracking is a conspiracy. It's not.

havent yet had the pleasure of, but from what I see I think I may be missing out

Our family use it.
It's actually pretty decent. You can create a group and when you take a photo or video it is sent to everyone in the group.
I think it's free to send as well.

It's good for keeping in touch with people providing others are using whatsapp as well and you are part of the group.

My point was that tracking was not the point at all because they could have tracked everything the same way while having user names (confirmed by sms) as well.

So lets say now I have user name of +123456789 confirmed by +123456789 sms.
Alternatively I would have username of mineistaken confirmed by +123456789 sms.

In both cases they would track me the same way.

So tracking is 100% not the point of what I am asking and is 100% irrelevant to the thread.

In your thread title you ask "whatsapp - anybody uses it?" in your OP you ask "what are the benefits over skype, viber etc? "

Some people don't use whatsapp because of tracking. Some people see tracking as a benefit over skype, viber, etc. because they can see where people are. Others don't see tracking as a benefit to using whatsapp.

Tracking is 100% relevant to the thread.

I was talking about usability comparison with skype and so on, obviously. Not about how much do skype or whatsap track their customers.

Absolutely :thumbsup

also, whatsapp is using the phone number & not a made up skype name :thumbsup

Clearly you can appreciate that the status update feature which tracks your location is part of the usability of Whatsapp.

It's great that they lock it to your SIM card they way they do. They say it's to cut down on unsolicited spam. Also, Whatsapp routes messages through your contacts via verified phone numbers, similar to the SMS system, this isn't possible via a chosen username. :thumbsup

It's used heavily for business in Malaysia. Right now I'm in Phuket, Thailand and it's great being in touch via Whatsapp with just wifi - that's why I use it instead of SMS. That and because everyone else here uses it - employees, vendors, etc. I also use the "share location" function a lot to remember where new places are as I'm still not that familiar with KL

Isn't that what imessage does not he iphone?

Everyone uses it here in China