What's App!?

Hi.  I'm Bill Moers, a Computer Science major with a minor in Interactive Media Studies.  While I only use social media sparingly, I pay great attention to the technology around it as I enjoy following all gadget related technology news.  While the news in this post is not on the bleeding edge, I do think it is worth talking about.  That news is:  Facebook's acquisition of the mobile text messaging app, WhatsApp.

I have personally never made use of the app.  I downloaded it to check it out, and I just did not see the point at the time.  With WhatsApp, you can only message people in your contacts list that are also using the app; and since I was the only person I knew who had it installed, I quickly dismissed it.  I have since learned, however, that WhatsApp became a huge success overseas, where text message plans and tracking are still a thing.  Here in the states, the major carriers have done away with piece meal plans, so that now a contract plan includes unlimited minutes (no more nights-and-weekends minutes, rollover minutes, etc.) and unlimited text and video messaging.  The only thing you are limited on, and have the option to change the amount you allotted, is data.

Just like the way iMessage (iOS) allowed people in the US to have unlimited messaging by sending messages over data instead of using up one's allotment of text messages, WhatsApp allows overseas users to save on the text messaging portion of their wireless plans by using data.

Now, Facebook has made the move to purchase WhatsApp, and said move has been approved by the Federal Trade Commission.  I am not entirely surprised by this; as controversial as this purchase has been, I do not feel it holds the same implications that the purchase of T-Mobile by At&t would have had if the FTC had allowed the deal to happen.  Since Facebook appears to be losing the audience that has made it so popular, it makes complete sense that they would acquire services and products that would allow them to change and potentially succeed into the future.

I am more curious about the proposal by Masayoshi Son, owner of Sprint, to be allowed to acquire T-Mobile.  I'll have more to say about that later.