Meta Platforms Inc.'s WhatsApp has reached a significant milestone in the US market, with over 100 million monthly active users as of July 2024. This growth is a testament to WhatsApp's popularity and its ability to bridge the gap between 'blue and green bubble' users on different platforms. The app, which was acquired by Meta in 2014 for $19 billion, has historically focused on countries like India, Brazil, and Indonesia but has recently been promoting its presence in the US market.
WhatsApp's growth in the US is important for Meta as it builds out its business. The US market is typically the most lucrative for advertising, and click-to-message ads that send users from their Facebook or Instagram feeds to a direct message conversation with a business are already a multibillion-dollar business.
The total number of messages sent by US users is also growing double digits compared to the previous year. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the new milestone on his WhatsApp channel, stating that more than 50% of WhatsApp's users in the US have iPhones.
WhatsApp's growth in the US comes as Apple's iMessage continues to dominate the messaging market. However, Meta is promoting WhatsApp as a bridge between 'blue and green bubble' users, allowing them to communicate seamlessly regardless of their device or platform.
Improving WhatsApp's presence in the US market would help Meta build out its business, which has been slower to materialize than expected. The company is also promoting WhatsApp as a more secure and private messaging alternative compared to iMessage, which could attract users concerned about data privacy.
It is important to note that while this growth is significant, it should be considered in the context of the overall market size and competition. Other messaging platforms like Apple's iMessage and Google Messages continue to dominate the market, making WhatsApp's growth a notable but not yet dominant presence.