WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion users globally. In recent years, WhatsApp has introduced new features like disappearing messages, stickers, and statuses that make it more similar to social media platforms like Snapchat.
What new features has WhatsApp added recently?
Here are some of the main Snapchat-like features WhatsApp has added in the past couple years:
- Disappearing messages – In 2020, WhatsApp launched the ‘disappearing messages’ feature which causes new messages in a chat to disappear after 7 days. This is similar to how Snapchat messages automatically delete after being viewed.
- Statuses – WhatsApp Status launched in 2017 allows users to post photos, videos and GIFs that disappear after 24 hours, just like Snapchat Stories.
- Stickers – Stickers were added to WhatsApp in 2018, allowing users to send fun illustrated stickers and emojis in chats. Snapchat pioneered stickers in messaging apps.
- Reactions – In 2022, WhatsApp rolled out reactions, allowing users to respond to a message with an emoji reaction. This is a popular feature on apps like Snapchat.
- Live locations – WhatsApp’s live location sharing feature enables real-time location tracking, similar to Snapchat’s Snap Map.
Overall, the addition of ephemeral and visual communication through statuses, stickers, and reactions make WhatsApp feel much more like a social media platform than just a messaging app.
How are WhatsApp’s new features different from Snapchat?
While there are definite similarities, there are also some key differences between how WhatsApp and Snapchat have implemented ephemeral messaging:
- Default ephemerality – In Snapchat, all messages are ephemeral by default and disappear once opened. WhatsApp requires users to actively turn on disappearing messages for each chat.
- Content focus – Snapchat is focused on photo and video sharing, while WhatsApp remains primarily text-based messaging with some additional visual features.
- Advertising – Snapchat shows native ads between Stories and other content. WhatsApp still has no advertising, retaining its original private messaging focus.
- Anonymity – Snapchat allows users to anonymously view public content like Stories through its Discover section. WhatsApp requires knowing someone’s phone number to connect.
While WhatsApp has added Snapshot-like features, the differences show it isn’t trying to completely transform into a social media platform like Snapchat.
Why is WhatsApp adding these new social media-like features?
There are a few key reasons why WhatsApp seems to be taking inspiration from social platforms like Snapchat:
- User engagement – Ephemeral content and statuses encourage users to check WhatsApp more regularly, increasing overall engagement.
- Young users – Features like stories and reactions appeal to younger demographics that Snapchat already attracts.
- Data advantage – The Snapchat-inspired features give WhatsApp more user data to leverage for ad targeting and analytics in the future.
- Differentiation – Adding new features allows WhatsApp to differentiate from competitors like Telegram and Signal.
The Snapshot-like additions position WhatsApp as more of a hybrid messaging and social media app. This expands its potential beyond simple messaging into a richer daily user experience and broader audience appeal.
How popular are WhatsApp’s new Snapchat-like features?
WhatsApp hasn’t released official user numbers, but here’s what we know about adoption of the new Snapchat-esque features:
- Statuses – WhatsApp Status has over 500 million daily active users as of January 2022. Engagement is higher in India where over 300 million users post statuses every day.
- Disappearing messages – 1 billion WhatsApp users were using disappearing messages as of March 2022, indicating massive global popularity.
- Stickers – WhatsApp rolls out over 3 billion stickers sent every day. Popular packs include its World Cup and Diwali themed sticker packs.
- Reactions – Within the first few months of launch, WhatsApp users were sending 7 billion reactions a day. The heart eyes reaction ?????? is the most popular so far.
The high volume of daily users and engagement show WhatsApp’s Snapchat-inspired features have been widely adopted and are changing how people communicate on the platform.
WhatsApp Status Daily Active Users
| Date | Daily Active Users |
|---|---|
| January 2018 | 250 million |
| January 2020 | 500 million |
The risks of WhatsApp pursuing social features
While adding Snapchat-like capabilities has increased WhatsApp usage and engagement, there are also some risks or downsides to this approach:
- User trust – Shift away from private messaging may violate user expectations and erode WhatsApp’s trusted brand.
- Focus dilution – Too many non-messaging features may bloat the app and dilute its core purpose.
- Increased toxicity – More social sharing creates risks around harmful viral content and misinformation.
- Data privacy – Social features may expose user data more than basic messaging does.
WhatsApp will need to carefully weigh the benefits against potential user trust and brand reputation risks as it evolves the app’s capabilities.
Does WhatsApp need to be more like Snapchat to stay relevant?
Here are two perspectives on whether WhatsApp really needs to add social media features to compete in the future:
Yes, it does need to be more like Snapchat:
- Messaging alone is commoditized – So many apps now offer free messaging that WhatsApp needs to differentiate.
- Ephemerality is the future – Disappearing content aligns with user desire for privacy and less permanence.
- Visual communication – Stickers and statuses capitalize on the rise of image and video content.
- Younger demographics – Snapchat capabilities will help WhatsApp appeal to Gen Z users more.
No, it can succeed by just focusing on messaging:
- Don’t lose focus – WhatsApp is already the top messaging app globally.
- Risk alienating users – Adding too many bells and whistles may undermine the app’s simplicity.
- Privacy issues – Ephemeral content features still pose privacy issues for users.
- Develop business use cases – WhatsApp should focus more on monetizing business/enterprise messaging.
Reasonable arguments can be made on both sides of this debate. Ultimately, WhatsApp will need to be thoughtful about why it’s evolving the app and what long-term niche it wants to fill.
Conclusion
WhatsApp has clearly taken inspiration from social media apps like Snapchat in recent years with the addition of statuses, stories, disappearing messages, stickers, and reactions. These features have proven hugely popular, showing that users appreciate having more options for visual and ephemeral communication on WhatsApp.
However, significant differences remain in how WhatsApp and Snapchat operate. WhatsApp still appears to be pursuing a hybrid messaging meets social media strategy rather than transforming into a pure social app. Moving too far away from its messaging roots could alienate users and dilute WhatsApp’s brand strength.
As WhatsApp evolves, it will need to carefully consider if and when adopting social-centric features makes sense. Finding the right balance will be critical to remaining competitive and complementing apps like Snapchat rather than directly competing with them. How WhatsApp navigates this transition could determine if it remains the dominant global messaging app over the long term.
