How Messaging Apps Could Replace Traditional Social Media

SAN JOSE, Calif. - March 14, 2014 - PRLog -- Facebook's $19 billion acquisition of the WhatsApp messenger app neatly tied together the worlds of messaging and social media. And the hefty price tag wasn't the only big number involved in the deal.

The app is on tap to connect 1 billion people--with more than 450 million of them using the service each month, according to a Facebook press release.  And according to a survey from OnDevice Research, WhatsApp has passed Facebook in social messaging on mobile with 44 percent of users using it.

The rest of the list from OnDevice Research (which surveyed smartphone owners in the United States, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia and China about social messaging apps) was an interesting mix of social media and messaging, with Facebook coming in second with 35 percent, followed by WeChat at 28 percent, Twitter at 19 percent, BBM at 17 percent and Skype at 16 percent.

One theory about why messaging apps are taking over the social space involves teenagers. As Facebook has gained monthly active users, more parents have been added to the mix--ensuring Facebook is no longer a place for "uninhibited status updates," according to The Guardian. That's a concern because they are the demographic who "often point the rest of us towards the next big thing."

In addition to escaping the scrutiny of mom and dad, The Guardian article also points to the ability to offer private chatting with people you are friends with in real life as a reason teens are turning to messaging. The rise of the selfie and the desire to share those selfies via messaging vs. the more public social media channels is another factor. Also, according to an article in Wired, they give people a quick and easy way of communicating without paying heavy SMS fees to local wireless carriers. Finally, with the messaging apps now offering more than just traditional messaging, they have become social networks of their own. Some of the bonus features of WhatsApp, for example, include providing a multimedia experience, sharing locations and connecting address books automatically

Here are some other examples of the features that messaging apps are now providing:

Video Date - In addition to allowing users to send instant messages and share pictures, this free, live video dating app lets users meet somebody special face to face over their mobile phones. The popular app also was recently featured in Time magazine and USA Today.

CatchMe - CatchMe takes messaging to a new level, allowing members who are present at participating venues to meet, interact and chat in both private and public chat rooms. You can all even share pictures of the fun time you're having.

eyeMe - This app allows users to send photos directly to family and friends, plus it even interfaces with Twitter and Facebook. For extra fun, users can add voice captions that are playable with a single click.

If the WhatsApp deal is any indication, we will be seeing a lot more of messaging apps like these in the near future.

About Software Developers India
Software Developers India's extensive Android and iPhone app development portfolio includes several apps with messaging built in--including eyeMe (which lets users share photos and updates on Twitter and Facebook) and Video Date (a free, live video dating app). The company has been providing superior app development for the past 15 years and now also provides website design and apps for Google Glass and smart watches in more than 40 countries. Software Developers India is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices in Melbourne, London and India. For more information, please visit http://www.softwaredevelopersindia.com or contact them directly at 408-802-2885 or team@sdi.la.