When was WhatsApp invented - briefly?
WhatsApp was invented by Brian Acton and Jan Koum in 2009. The app officially launched on January 9, 2010.
When was WhatsApp invented - in detail?
WhatsApp, one of the world's most popular messaging platforms, was invented in 2009 by Brian Acton and Jan Koum. The story behind its creation is a tale of innovation, perseverance, and serendipity.
Brian Acton and Jan Koum, both former employees of Yahoo!, had been out of work for nearly two years when they decided to apply for jobs at Facebook. While waiting for their interviews, they spent time in a local park discussing their future plans. It was during one of these conversations that the idea for WhatsApp was born. They recognized the potential of the iPhone and the App Store, which had just been launched, as a platform to create a new kind of messaging application.
The name "WhatsApp" came from the phrase "What's up," reflecting the casual and conversational nature of the app they envisioned. The initial version of WhatsApp was released on January 24, 2009, for the iPhone. It allowed users to send messages using their phone numbers instead of usernames, which was a significant innovation at the time. The app quickly gained traction among users who appreciated its simplicity and ease of use.
In 2011, WhatsApp introduced support for other platforms, including BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone, and Nokia Symbian. This expansion helped to grow the user base exponentially. By 2013, WhatsApp had over 200 million monthly active users, sending more than 600 million messages per day.
In February 2014, Facebook acquired WhatsApp for approximately $19 billion, making it one of the largest acquisitions in Silicon Valley history. The acquisition was a testament to the app's success and its impact on global communication. Today, WhatsApp is used by over 2 billion people worldwide, offering not only messaging but also voice and video calls, as well as features like Status updates and group chats.
The invention of WhatsApp marked a significant shift in how people communicate, moving away from traditional SMS and embracing real-time, data-based messaging. Its success can be attributed to its founders' vision, the app's user-friendly design, and its ability to adapt to the evolving needs of users across different platforms and devices.