WhatsApp’s rivals gained momentum after the messaging app announced last week that it would allow users to share their personal information with their parent company, Facebook.(SIGNAL download link_)
WhatsApp told users on January 6 they would have to agree to allow Facebook and its subsidiaries to collect WhatsApp data – including phone numbers and locations – before February 8 or lose access to the app. WhatsApp has since clarified that this only affects users outside the European Union and the UK and said the change “does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends or family in any way.”
Data from the app-analytics firm Sensor Tower shows Signal, an encrypted messaging service, which has seen a dramatic increase in user numbers following a WhatsApp announcement. From January 6 to January 10, Signal has seen an estimated 7.5 million instances worldwide from the entire App Store and Google Play, “a Sensor Tower spokesman told Insider.
This was expected to increase by 4,200% from last week.
On Wednesday, the app appeared in both Google and Apple stores in the United States, according to data from App Annie, a math company. Fox News reported that the app was on top of both stores since Monday. The increase in downloads also coincided with Parler, a popular social networking app that supporters of President Donald Trump, were forced offline. Amazon updated the app from its web hosting service, saying on Monday it “could not provide services to customers who could not clearly see and remove content that promotes or incites violence against others.” Telegram encrypted messaging service saw many users flock to its service. Between January 6 and January 10, it has gathered 9 million new users, up 91% from last week, and is now second only to both Google and Apple app stores.
In both applications, the largest market for growth was India. Signal saw 2.3 million installations in India – more than 30% of its total total installation. India calculates Telegram installation of 1.5 million, or 16% of all installations.
At Signal, the second largest market was in the US, where users put it about 1 million times. But without Signal’s thunder, it will not replace WhatsApp, Brian Acton, who launched both apps, told TechCrunch. Instead, people will use these services in various conversations, he said, not – and will not – repeat all WhatsApp activities.
“My desire is to give people the opportunity to make their own choices,” Acton told the newspaper. “It’s not a win-win situation.” Meanwhile, WhatsApp has struggled to alleviate public concern over the privacy of its operating system. “We want to address other rumors and it is 100% clear that we continue to protect your private messages by encrypting the term,” the company said in a statement on Monday.
“We want to make it clear that this policy review does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends or family in any way. added to the FAQ on its website.
