How much does an SMS weigh in WhatsApp - briefly?
An SMS sent via WhatsApp typically weighs around 1 KB to 3 KB, depending on the content and attached media. This relatively low data usage makes it an efficient communication tool, especially for users with limited data plans or in areas with slow internet connectivity.
How much does an SMS weigh in WhatsApp - in detail?
When considering the weight of an SMS in WhatsApp, it is essential to understand that WhatsApp operates differently from traditional SMS services. WhatsApp messages are not classified as SMS but rather as data packets transmitted over the internet. This distinction is crucial because it affects how the message is treated and measured.
Traditional SMS messages have a strict character limit of 160 characters per message. Any message exceeding this limit is divided into multiple parts, with each part counting as a separate message. The weight or size of an SMS is typically calculated in kilobytes (KB), and a standard SMS can range from 140 bytes to 153 bytes depending on the network and encoding used.
In contrast, WhatsApp messages do not have a character limit per se, but they are optimized for data efficiency. WhatsApp compresses text messages before transmission, reducing their size significantly. The exact size of a WhatsApp message can vary based on the content, such as whether it includes text, images, videos, or other media. However, a simple text message with no additional attachments is generally much smaller than a traditional SMS.
For instance, a typical plain text message in WhatsApp might weigh around 1 KB to 2 KB after compression. This efficiency allows users to send longer messages without worrying about excessive data usage or character limits. It also enables the inclusion of multimedia content like images and videos within the same message size constraints that would be impractical with traditional SMS.
In summary, while it is difficult to provide an exact weight for a WhatsApp message due to varying factors such as content type and compression efficiency, it is clear that WhatsApp messages are significantly lighter than traditional SMS messages. This difference underscores the advantages of using internet-based messaging services like WhatsApp over traditional SMS for both users and service providers.