The world of messaging applications is divided between those that use WhatsApp, Telegram, and in a more residual way, applications such as Signal, iMessage, Facebook Messenger. They all fulfill the same mission, to facilitate communication between people. But if there is one of them that stands out from the rest, it is WhatsApp. Launched in 2009, it has more than 2 billion active users. Its main competitor, if you can give it that name, is Telegram, which has a quarter of users, 500 million.
But Telegram is a much more complete app than WhatsApp . In fact, it has features that the latter has not yet implemented. One of them is to edit the messages once they have been sent , which is not possible in the green app. It also does not have bots , thematic channels or the possibility of being used on the computer even with the phone away or off. So why is WhatsApp the public’s favorite compared to a more complete app like Telegram?
Since WhatsApp, which was bought by Facebook in 2014, they are rushing to improve the application a lot. In 2021 we are seeing some improvements that have made it more attractive, such as temporary messages or photos that can be seen only once. Updates are being prepared that will allow payments between users , a system similar to Bizum, a multi-device function, and even an app for a tablet that is independent from WhatsApp Web.
Why does WhatsApp succeed being inferior, at the moment, to Telegram?
The main reason could come in the temporal sense. WhatsApp appeared four years before Telegram , even smartphones were starting to take off at that time and the use of these applications was overshadowed by that of SMS. During this period of time, the green application managed to gain a large portfolio of clients that allowed it to take an advantage that has been impossible to save. In this sense, it should be noted that when a person begins to use an application that suits him well, it is very difficult for him to abandon it for another, even if it is better. In any case, what you can do is complement it to take turns with depending on which users you want to talk to. Surely if you use both applications, there is a group of them with whom you only speak on Telegram.
WhatsApp is easy to use, in fact older people can use them without any inconvenience. Telegram does not present any difficulties either, however, it has always had an aura of being somewhat more select . For example, it is very difficult for an older person to start using Telegram because they can be overwhelmed. There are options such as channels, which may require a little longer learning. This type of person is looking for quick solutions, not spending time having to learn new things.
It is obvious, WhatsApp is in most mobile devices, and whoever perceives that Telegram is much more complete, there is no doubt about that, risks losing a large number of contacts if they decide to uninstall WhatsApp and stop using it. There are a large number of people who work wonderfully with WhatsApp, and have no interest in switching to something that performs the same function, even if it is better. You are probably wanting to stop using WhatsApp because its privacy policy is not the strictest. But, do you really want to have to explain to your contacts or call them on the phone because you know they are not going to use Telegram? Too high a cost.
At the beginning of the year, quite a few users migrated to Signa l in disagreement with the WhatsApp policy due to the acceptance of their privacy. It would be necessary to see how many of them have gone back and have ended up accepting them without any inconvenience. Making life easier is a necessity, so, for the moment, it does not seem likely that the first position of WhatsApp is in danger.
