A messenger is a program, mobile application, or web service for instant mess.
Most often, a messenger is defined as a program in which you write messages and where you read them. However, behind every such program is a messaging network, which also falls under the term “messenger.” It could be a network within your company or it could be a global network.
Because there are quite a few of these networks, not all messengers are compatible. In other words, it is not a fact that if you have a messenger and your partner has a messenger, you will be able to communicate with him.
It must be said that the concept of the messenger has long been associated not only with the exchange of text messages. Modern messengers have become full-fledged communication centers, which in addition to messaging provide voice and video chat, file sharing, web conferencing.
The most popular messengers are WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Telegram, Snapchat, and Discord.
The most popular messenger in the world today is WhatsApp. The number of its monthly users exceeds the population of China and, until recently, that number was growing. But the application has been accused of transferring user data to Facebook owners, and although messenger representatives deny everything, millions of people are switching to Telegram and other competitors. So far, this is a drop in the bucket, but that may soon change.
WhatsApp has become popular because of the flexibility of communication, the ability to create groups for business, blogs, and media. And the WhatsApp logo is perhaps the most recognizable in the industry.
Facebook Messenger
The second position goes to Facebook Messenger. The application with 1.3 billion users was originally a part of the social network Facebook, but in 2011 it became a separate service with advanced features while maintaining a visual connection with the main platform and Facebook logo.
Some people consider Messenger too complicated and cumbersome – and this is partly true. And yet, this has not stopped people all over the world from running their businesses, communicating with relatives and friends, advertising products, and so on, through Facebook Messenger.
WeChat and QQ
Asia’s premier messengers. Through WeChat, you can not only communicate and exchange messages, videos, and stickers. It is a full-fledged – and official – payment system for utilities, cab orders, food, goods, and services.
WeChat has grown a bit in the last year, and those numbers are almost 40 million users growth. For other messengers below these are huge values, but against the background of 1.2 billion people another 40 million is a drop in the ocean. It is possible to predict WeChat’s growth because there is still a largely untapped audience in Asia.
Another popular messenger in China has long been QQ. The application is available in 80 other countries around the world, where it is also popular, but the main market for QQ remains in China. In addition to messaging, the messenger has online games, personal blogs, account and avatar decorations, online shopping, and quick payments.
Telegram
The year 2020 was a time when Telegram took off. Telegram is considered one of the most secure messengers in the world. Russia tried for a long time to block it, but then gave up and now uses it along with officials. Until recently, there were no video calls on Telegram, but with the pandemic, they quickly appeared. In addition to a variety of communication, the messenger is famous for channels and thematic groups, and because of its data security, many independent and banned media use it as the main platform for broadcasting.
Snapchat
Snapchat is also showing good growth. In 2019, the messenger had 398 million users, and in 2020 the figure increased to 433 million. The large audience of Snapchat is in the U.S. (80 million users), but in other regions, this application is also quite popular – mainly among young people under 19 years old.
A trick of Snapchat – short videos and modern multimedia messages with photos and captions. There is a classical correspondence, but most people like Snapchat just for video content and an abundance of photo editing tools.
Discord
Discord is not just a messenger, but a full-fledged platform for gamers. During the pandemic, the service began to be used not only by the players, but the main audience is still fond of video games. In Discord, you can correspond, .communicate by voice in special groups, create thematic channels, and separate servers. Groups of many gaming guilds, media, and other communities are open here, including Canoboo, Reddit, Twitch, and others.
Discord’s audience has grown over the past year, and seriously, at least for its scale. In 2019, the app had 250 million monthly users; at the end of 2020, the audience reached 300 million.
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