Many people claim that good old text messaging is slowly fading and in its place come internet-based messaging services.
As messaging apps become more popular as time passes by, these claims are also becoming more apparent. One of chat services that are gaining popularity is WhatsApp. It has more than 600 million active users and as of the moment only offers instant messaging and voice messaging. WhatsApp is a great alternative to regular SMS because it offers the same service like text messaging. With that being said, is it time to bid the traditional SMS goodbye and replace it with WhatsApp?
Advantages of SMS
The good thing about text messages is that you can send and receive one even if you don’t have an internet connection. If you find yourself in a secluded area with no internet in sight, you can always rely on SMS to communicate with others. SMS also is still people without smartphone’s way of communication. If you are not big on SMS and only use it whenever the need arises, you really don’t need a smartphone – a regular mobile phone is just what you need.
Disadvantage of SMS
The downside of not owning a smartphone is that you might be the only one left in your group of friends that doesn’t own one. Your friends might not be fans of SMS anymore, because why would they spend money on messages if they can send a message for free? Regular text messages come with a price and if you’ve run out of text charges, it’s not possible to send any more messages.
Advantages of WhatsApp
WhatsApp is free to download and use. You can exchange instant messages with your friends without having to worry about extra charges on your monthly bill. As long as you’re connected to the internet, you can use WhatsApp as long as you want. You can also participate in group chats in WhatsApp and even send photos and videos to your contacts – something that you can’t do in regular text messaging.
Disadvantages of WhatsApp
If you’re not connected to the internet, you can no longer use WhatsApp. You won’t be able to send or receive messages, although you will start receiving the missed messages once you got an internet connection.
Final Word
If you already own a smartphone, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t download WhatsApp. It has many advantages especially if most of your contacts are also relying on free text messaging to communicate. It’s worth downloading if only for the ability to share photos, videos and even your location to your friends. You can also leave a voice message to your friends without having to call their voicemails – another cost-effective feature since leaving a voicemail also costs you. On the other hand, if you only send SMS once in a while and you have no use for the internet, you can still stick to traditional text messaging. Both text platforms are effective and reliable so you can choose anything and you won’t feel like you’re missing out on something.
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