Instant messaging has become an integral part of our lives. Bing! Ping!
With the increasing use of smartphones, people prefer to communicate through instant messengers more than ever before. These apps not only facilitate communication, but they also offer several features like file sharing, voice and video calling, and more. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at who uses which instant messenger and provide details on some of the most popular ones, including WhatsApp, Facebook Chat, Telegram, WeChat, iMessage, and more.
WhatsApp is undoubtedly one of the most popular instant messaging apps worldwide. As of January 2021, it had over two billion active users. WhatsApp is most popular in countries like India, Brazil, Mexico, and Indonesia. In India alone, it has over 400 million users. The app is widely used by people of all ages, from teenagers to senior citizens.
Facebook Chat
Facebook Chat is the instant messaging feature of the Facebook app. With over 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world. As a result, Facebook Chat is also one of the most widely used instant messengers. Facebook Chat is most popular among young adults aged 18-29, with 78% of them using it.
Telegram
Telegram is a cloud-based instant messaging app that prioritizes privacy and security. It offers features like self-destructing messages, secret chats, and end-to-end encryption. Telegram is popular among people who are concerned about their privacy and want a secure messaging app. It has over 500 million active users worldwide, and the app is most popular in countries like Iran, Uzbekistan, and Russia.
Who uses Telegram?
Telegram has gained popularity in recent years, with people becoming more conscious of their privacy and security online. Telegram is most popular among young adults aged 18-24, with 30% of users falling in this age group. It is also popular among people aged 25-34, with 28% of users falling in this age group. The app is more popular among men than women, with 64% of users being men and 36% being women.
Telegram is also popular among people who use it for business purposes. The app offers features like groups, channels, and bots, which make it a useful tool for businesses to communicate with their customers and employees.
Anecdote: In January 2021, after WhatsApp announced a new privacy policy that would allow the app to share user data with Facebook, there was a mass exodus of users to Telegram. Telegram gained over 25 million new users in just 72 hours.
WeChat is a Chinese instant messaging app that is widely used in China. It offers features like messaging, voice and video calling, social networking, and payment services. WeChat has over one billion active users, and the app is most popular in China.
Who uses WeChat?
WeChat is most popular among young adults aged 18-24, with 34.5% of users falling in this age group. It is also popular among people aged 25-34, with 26.4% of users falling in this age group. WeChat is more popular among men than women, with 61.6% of users being men and 38.4% being women.
iMessage
iMessage is an instant messaging app that is exclusive to Apple devices. It offers features like messaging, voice and video calling, and file sharing. iMessage is popular among iPhone and iPad users and is built into the iOS operating system.
Who uses iMessage?
iMessage is most popular among young adults aged 18-24, with 63% of iPhone users in this age group using the app. It is also popular among people aged 25-34, with 58
% of iPhone users in this age group using the app. iMessage is more popular among women than men, with 53% of iPhone users being women and 47% being men.
Anecdote: iMessage has gained popularity among young adults in the US because it is often seen as a status symbol to own an iPhone, and using iMessage is considered a way of showing off that status.
Signal
Signal is an instant messaging app that prioritizes privacy and security. It offers features like end-to-end encryption, self-destructing messages, and the ability to verify contacts. Signal is often used by people who are concerned about their privacy and want a secure messaging app.
Who uses Signal?
Signal is most popular among young adults aged 18-24, with 26% of users falling in this age group. It is also popular among people aged 25-34, with 25% of users falling in this age group. The app is more popular among men than women, with 60% of users being men and 40% being women.
Anecdote: In January 2021, after WhatsApp announced a new privacy policy that would allow the app to share user data with Facebook, there was a mass exodus of users to Signal. Signal gained over 7.5 million new users in just a few days.
Snapchat
Snapchat is an instant messaging app that is popular among young adults and teenagers. It offers features like messaging, photo and video sharing, and filters. Snapchat is often seen as a fun and playful app, and it is widely used for socializing and sharing photos with friends.
Who uses Snapchat?
Snapchat is most popular among teenagers aged 13-17, with 69% of US teens using the app. It is also popular among young adults aged 18-24, with 68% of US adults in this age group using the app. Snapchat is more popular among women than men, with 61% of users being women and 38% being men.
Anecdote: Snapchat is often used by celebrities and influencers to connect with their fans and followers. It offers features like stories and filters that make it easy for celebrities to share glimpses of their daily lives and connect with their fans on a more personal level.
Skype
Skype is an instant messaging app that offers features like messaging, voice and video calling, and screen sharing. Skype has been around for a long time and is widely used for both personal and business communication.
Who uses Skype?
Skype is most popular among people aged 35-54, with 46% of users falling in this age group. It is also popular among people aged 55 and above, with 28% of users falling in this age group. Skype is more popular among men than women, with 56% of users being men and 44% being women.
Anecdote: Skype has been around since 2003 and was one of the first instant messaging apps to offer video calling. It is often used for long-distance communication and is popular among people who have friends and family living in different countries.
So Many Apps – Which to Choose?
The choice of instant messaging app depends on personal preferences, needs, and demographics. Whether you want a secure messaging app like Signal or a versatile app like WeChat that offers features like mobile payments, there is an instant messaging app that will suit your needs. As for Telegram, it is particularly popular among young adults aged 18-24 and is more popular among men than women. The app is widely used for personal and business communication and gained popularity in 2021 after WhatsApp announced a new privacy policy that would allow the app to share user data with Facebook.