WhatsApp

WhatsApp
Original author(s)Brian Acton, Jan Koum
Developer(s)Meta Platforms, Will Cathcart (Head of WhatsApp)[1][2]
Initial releaseFebruary 2009; 15 years ago (2009-02)
Stable release(s) [±]
iOS24.19.80[3] Edit this on Wikidata / September 26, 2024; 52 days ago (September 26, 2024)
Android2.24.22.79[4] Edit this on Wikidata / November 4, 2024; 13 days ago (November 4, 2024)
Windows2.2429.10.0[5] Edit this on Wikidata / July 29, 2024; 3 months ago (July 29, 2024)
macOS24.16.78[6] Edit this on Wikidata / August 13, 2024; 3 months ago (August 13, 2024)
Preview release(s) [±]
Android (Beta)2.24.23.12[7] Edit this on Wikidata / November 1, 2024; 16 days ago (November 1, 2024)
Written inErlang[8]
Operating systemAndroid, iOS, iPadOS, KaiOS, macOS, Windows, Windows Phone, Wear OS, Web, Meta Quest (The latter two require one-time verification from the mobile app client.)
Size183.7 MB (iOS)[9]
48.02 MB (Android)[10]
Available in40 (iOS) and 60 (Android)[11] languages
TypeInstant messaging, VoIP
LicenseProprietary software with EULA
"European Region"[12]
"others"[13]
Websitewhatsapp.com Edit this on Wikidata
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WhatsApp (officially WhatsApp Messenger) is an instant messaging (IM) and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service owned by technology conglomerate Meta.[14] It allows users to send text, voice messages and video messages,[15] make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other content.[16][17] WhatsApp's client application runs on mobile devices, and can be accessed from computers.[18] The service requires a cellular mobile telephone number to sign up.[19] In January 2018, WhatsApp released a standalone business app called WhatsApp Business which can communicate with the standard WhatsApp client.[20][21]

The service was created by WhatsApp Inc. of Mountain View, California, which was acquired by Facebook in February 2014 for approximately US$19.3 billion.[22][23] It became the world's most popular messaging application by 2015,[14][24] and had more than 2 billion users worldwide by February 2020,[25] confirmed four years later by new 200M registrations per month.[26] By 2016, it had become the primary means of Internet communication in regions including the Americas, the Indian subcontinent, and large parts of Europe and Africa.[14]

  1. ^ Horwitz, Jeff (February 12, 2020). "As WhatsApp Tops 2 Billion Users, Its Boss Vows to Defend Encryption". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 17, 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  2. ^ Cathcart, Will. "Why WhatsApp is pushing back on NSO Group hacking". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 30, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  3. ^ "WhatsApp Messenger on the App Store". Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  4. ^ "WhatsApp apk mirror repo". November 4, 2024. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  5. ^ "WhatsApp Win Uptodown Repo". August 17, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  6. ^ "WhatsApp Messenger on the App Store". August 13, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  7. ^ "WhatsApp apk". November 4, 2024. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  8. ^ O'Connell, Ainsley (February 21, 2014). "Inside Erlang, The Rare Programming Language Behind WhatsApp's Success". Fast Company. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  9. ^ "WhatsApp Messenger". App Store. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  10. ^ "WhatsApp Messenger APKs". APKMirror. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  11. ^ "WhatsApp Help Center - How to change WhatsApp's language". whatsapp.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  12. ^ "WhatsApp". whatsapp.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  13. ^ "WhatsApp Business Terms of Service". whatsapp.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  14. ^ a b c Metz, Cade (April 5, 2016). "Forget Apple vs. the FBI: WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on April 9, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  15. ^ "Features". whatsapp.com. Archived from the original on May 28, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  16. ^ Voice calling, March 12, 2015, archived from the original on March 17, 2015, retrieved March 16, 2015
  17. ^ "WhatsApp Voice Calling". Forbes. April 4, 2015. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  18. ^ "WhatsApp Desktop Client for Windows & Mac Is Only Second Best". MakeUseOf. February 20, 2018. Archived from the original on February 27, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  19. ^ "WhatsApp FAQ – Using one WhatsApp account on multiple phones, or with multiple phone numbers". whatsapp.com. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  20. ^ "There's a new version of WhatsApp". The Independent. January 19, 2018. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  21. ^ Armstrong, Paul. "How To Know If Your Business Should Use The New WhatsApp Business App". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  22. ^ Albergotti, Reed; MacMillan, Douglas; Rusli, Evelyn M. (February 20, 2014). "Facebook to Pay $19 Billion for WhatsApp". The Wall Street Journal. pp. A1, A6. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on October 2, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  23. ^ "Facebook to Acquire WhatsApp" (Press release). February 19, 2014. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  24. ^ Sun, Leo (September 11, 2015). "Facebook Inc.'s WhatsApp Hits 900 Million Users: What Now?". The Motley Fool. Archived from the original on October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  25. ^ "WhatsApp Blog". whatsapp.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
  26. ^ "reuters". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2024.