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The messenger service WhatsApp is said to have around two billion active users. It's difficult to find a product that could displace the market leader, isn't it? But one app has the potential.
WhatsApp was founded in 2009 and acquired by Facebook in 2014. The service recently reportedly surpassed the two billion active user mark. But what's next for WhatsApp? Observers believe that a previously quiet player could pose serious competition. The company is "Signal." The messaging service "Signal" was founded in 2015 by Moxie Marlinspike and is part of a non-profit organization also supported by WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton. Acton reportedly invested around $50 million in the Signal Foundation after he left Facebook due to disputes with its leadership. This report Wired. A real challenge, right?
New developers, more features and data protection
Signal founder Marlinspike naturally put the new capital to good use by hiring additional developers. The team is now said to consist of 20 developers, rather than three. But what exactly makes the underdog so interesting, apart from its prominent backer? Signal, of course, masters end-to-end encryption. Furthermore, only "very little" user data is collected, according to the creators. The goal is to offer a messenger service that facilitates communication and offers interesting features, while at the same time always keeping data privacy in mind. Upcoming features include the option to view images and videos only once. A new group chat system is also said to be in the works. According to Wired, a method is also being developed that allows secure storage in iCloud. All in all, "Signal" is said to have the potential to permanently replace competitors like WhatsApp. Whether this will ultimately succeed remains to be seen. Incidentally, unlike WhatsApp, an iPad version of the app has been available since the end of 2019. (Photo by bigtunaonline / Bigstockphoto)
