It’s obvious that WhatsApp is the most popular instant messaging app, and it is very easy to setup and use.
However, there are still some hidden features that are not that obvious to any common user of the messenger. However, as they often say, patience pays and if you have some in you, you will eventually know lots of things about WhatsApp that you probably didn’t have a clue about.
This post looks at possibly every aspect of this app and by the end of it, you should know lots of new things about this app.
What is WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is an instant messaging app that began in 2009 and as of 2014 February 19, Facebook had acquired it for a reported fee of $19 billion. Using this application, you can send free voice, video, text and photo messages to any other user of the app regardless of their location. All you need is an internet connection, be it mobile data or Wi-Fi. Furthermore, the app lets users make free voice calls to other users and as of April 2015, the app had recorded a user base of over 800 million people.
How WhatsApp works
Setting up
WhatsApp is a very easy app to setup and start using. However, you must know that this app is only free for the first one year after which users must pay a fee of $0.99 per year for using it. To get the app on your phone, visit the official app store of your phone and search for it. Whether you are using Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, iOS or Windows Phone, WhatsApp has no known issues with compatibility of these mobile platforms.
When installed, the app will request your phone number. This number will be used as your ID and as such, it must be verified that it is yours. WhatsApp will send a verification code in an SMS to this number, and you can enter the code in the setup to complete it. The app automatically adds contacts by scanning through your phonebook for registered numbers.
Navigation
When it comes to navigation, WhatsApp is the easiest of all. On the home page of your Android phone, there are three tabs – the Calls, Chats, and Contacts buttons, all of which are very obvious. When you tap on the menu option, you will see a bunch of other options that include settings of the app.
Unlike other apps like Viber, which mostly use icons in the UI, WhatsApp is full of texts and is very easy to know what everything stands for.
Messaging
WhatsApp lets you send any volume of messages to any person as long as they have a WhatsApp account. To start a chat, you can tap on the contacts tab and select the person you want to message. There is a call icon at the top of the screen in an open chat, and if you tap on it, WhatsApp calling feature will be initiated. Remember that if you are not connected to Wi-Fi internet, data charges may apply during these calling and messaging services.
The app also allows users to create groups of up to 100 people. You can share all kinds of supported media in this group. Furthermore, the app allows capturing of photos and videos from within the platform by simply tapping on the camera icon located on the right of the text area. Tapping on the mic icon to the far right of the text area will initiate a voice recording session.
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