One of the fastest growing app networks on the planet could soon be doing many of the functions that mobile network providers handle today. It has emerged that WhatsApp is to roll out voice messaging and has already surpassed 300m monthly users around the world.
The app, which functions as an alternative to text messaging, is responsible for sending 11bn messages and the receipt of 20bn messages a day – 31bn messages a day.
AllThingsD reported that this is up from 27bn a day in June.
WhatsApp will today roll out voice messaging for all of its apps on iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone and Nokia.
The new feature is designed to be intuitive and quicker to use in just one tap, compared to other apps from players like social network Facebook, which requires three taps to send a voice message.
According to WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum, WhatsApp has 70pc penetration across the entire population of Brunei and 50pc of the population of Hong Kong.
The beauty of WhatsApp is that it allows users to send text messages on any kind of mobile device and across any mobile network.
The network sends 325m messages a day, compared with 200m messages sent via Snapchat.
Smartphones image via Shutterstock