Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

WhatsApp’s 1 billion users now make 100 million calls every day

whatsapp
Image used with permission by copyright holder
WhatsApp is keen to stand out amongst its rivals as more than just a messaging app. In an effort to promote its additional features, it has announced some impressive figures in regard to its voice-calling function, which was rolled out just over a year ago.

The app states that its users across iOS and Android now make 100 million calls a day. WhatsApp did the math and worked out that totals a whopping 1,100 calls a second.

Recommended Videos

The numbers are notable, but hardly surprising. After all, the app boasts 1 billion users, making it the biggest chat platform in the world. It only became a comprehensive communications platform by adding VoIP in April of last year, playing catch up with the likes of Skype, and Viber.

Since its acquisition by Facebook for a staggering $22 billion in 2014, WhatsApp has continued to operate independently under the leadership of co-founder and CE Jan Koum.

Despite dominating the overseas market — in particular India, Brazil, and Africa — WhatsApp is still struggling to gain a foothold in the U.S. where it faces stiff competition from apps including Facebook Messenger, and iMessage. America is high on Koum’s global domination agenda. In fact, he wants everyone who owns a smartphone to use WhatsApp.

“We’re nowhere near that,” Koum told USA Today. “But we hope that over a certain period of time we will get that critical mass.”

WhatsApp is no stranger to mass usage. At present, its users send 42 billion messages, 1.6 billion photos, and 250 million videos each day. So how exactly does Koum plan to overcome the U.S. stumbling block? As always, he’s relying on organic growth.

“As long as our user base continues to grow, at some point it will have critical mass, and at some point it will tip and at some point people will just have to use WhatsApp because their friends are using WhatsApp,” states Koum.

To that end, social media sites such as Facebook may even be aiding his plans. As WhatsApp’s parent company pointed out recently, it is influencing people to connect across the globe like never before. If you end up making a new friend overseas and plan to message them, chances are you’ll need to download WhatsApp.

Download for iOS Download for Android

Saqib Shah
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Saqib Shah is a Twitter addict and film fan with an obsessive interest in pop culture trends. In his spare time he can be…
You’ll soon be able to use WhatsApp on more than one phone
Two phones on a table next to each other. One is showing the WhatsApp logo, and the other is running the WhatsApp application.

WhatsApp, one of the most used messaging services in Europe and parts of Asia, is about to close a major flaw. As spotted by the sleuths over on WABetainfo, the company is planning an update that will allow the use of a secondary device -- including another phone or tablet. Currently, WhatsApp only allows phone users to link their account via its web or desktop clients.

The new feature is dubbed companion mode. Once it rolls out, you'll have a workflow that's quite similar to setting up WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp on the desktop. Rather than entering a number, you'll be able to scan a QR code with your main phone to log in to your existing WhatsApp account.

Read more
WhatsApp is copying two of Zoom’s best video-calling features
Call Links by WhatsApp

WhatsApp is taking a couple of pages out of Zoom's playbook. The Meta-owned company is rolling out the Call Links feature, making it easier for people to join audio and video calls with just one tap on the phone screen.

Mark Zuckerberg announced the new feature in a Facebook post on Monday morning. Starting this week, WhatsApp users will be able to tap the Call Links option within the Calls tab and create a link for audio or video calls to send to their friends and family, who will then tap on the link and join the call from there.

Read more
WhatsApp just upgraded its emoji reactions and I want them now
Close up of WhatsApp icon as seen on a smartphone display. Credits: WhatsApp official.

WhatsApp will now allow users to react to messages with any emoji, in an expansion of its reaction feature that came out last year. It's coming to iOS and Android over the coming weeks, and it brings more personalization to one of the world's most used messaging apps.

Once you get the update, the emoji reactions will work as they do now, with a long press bringing up the basic six options with the incision of a new plus button. Pressing that plus icon will show you the new expanded set of emojis, and you'll be able to add whatever emoji you want. This includes skin tone variations, family types, and more.

Read more