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Updated September 16th, 2019 at 12:44 IST

WhatsApp reaches 340 million users in India, plans to show Ads: Report

WhatsApp continues to witness the highest number of users in India, as per the eMarketer report. WhatsApp reached 340 million users in India, followed by other

Reported by: Tech Desk
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WhatsApp continues to witness the highest number of users in India, as per the eMarketer report. WhatsApp reached 340 million users in India, followed by other key markets, including Brazil, the US, Indonesia and Mexico. eMarketer also forecasts that over 90 per cent of all smartphone users will use WhatsApp in India this year. As far as the user penetration among smartphone users is concerned, counties such as India, Brazil and Indonesia are the top three markets for WhatsApp. Researchers also note that WhatsApp has previously been used to spread misinformation amid elections in two of its key markets: India and Brazil.

How to easily hide your WhatsApp chats without actually deleting them

Following India with 340 million users, Brazil is in second place with 99 million users. At 68.1 million users, the US is in third place. Markets like Indonesia (59.9 million) and Mexico (57.2 million) come in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Top 10 countries with the most number of WhatsApp users

  1. India -- 340 million
  2. Brazil -- 99 million
  3. US -- 68.1 million
  4. Indonesia -- 59.9 million
  5. Mexico --  57.2 million
  6. Russia -- 54.1 million
  7. Germany -- 43.9 million
  8. Italy -- 32.9 million
  9. Spain -- 30.5 million
  10. UK -- 27.6 million

"India has been able to amass such a high number of WhatsApp users, partly because the platform can be used on some feature phones, like the JioPhone, which is popular there,” eMarketer senior analyst Jasmine Enberg said. “India’s wide user base has also made it a testing ground for new WhatsApp capabilities, including a payment system. The company has been testing the service in India since 2018, and it is expected to launch nationwide this year, pending regulatory approval."

WhatsApp privacy could be compromised, claims a Google researcher

WhatsApp status Ads soon

Facebook global exec. Clegg offers 'prospective' solution for WhatsApp

Similar to Instagram Stories, WhatsApp Status will likely show Ads starting next year. Advertising is the backbone of Facebook's business. However, WhatsApp Status Ads raise privacy concerns among users. As researchers note, communication apps like WhatsApp are primarily conceived as more personal than social networking apps and services, "so advertisers need to keep that in mind when placing ads there.

WhatsApp payment service still awaiting regulatory approval from RBI

In related news, WhatsApp UPI-based payments service is awaiting regulatory clearance from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). WhatsApp payments service is slated for release by the end of this year.
 

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Published September 16th, 2019 at 12:21 IST

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