WhatsApp Reaches 100 Million Monthly Users in the United States
WhatsApp this week reached a significant milestone of 100 million monthly active users in the United States, a market traditionally dominated by other messaging services such as SMS and iMessage.
The achievement, announced in an official blog post, indicates a potential shift in the American messaging landscape, where WhatsApp has steadily gained ground despite the longstanding popularity of Apple's iMessage. The Meta-owned messaging app is extremely popular in Europe owing to its cross-platform compatibility.
In recent years Meta invested heavily in U.S. marketing campaigns, including high-visibility ad placements in Times Square and television spots emphasizing privacy and end-to-end encryption. A recent campaign featured the cast of the TV show "Modern Family" highlighting WhatsApp's cross-platform capabilities.
The milestone of 100 million users is particularly impressive given the competition from iMessage, which has been the preferred messaging service for many iPhone users due to its default, seamless integration with Apple's ecosystem. However, WhatsApp's ability to offer a unified messaging experience across different devices apparently resonates with a significant portion of the American population, especially in major cities like Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and Seattle.
WhatsApp's milestone comes at a time when the iPhone's messaging landscape is poised for further changes. Apple is set to introduce Rich Communication Services (RCS) in iOS 18 later this year, a move that should significantly enhance the functionality of messages sent between iPhones and Android devices. RCS offers features like high-quality media sharing, read receipts, and typing indicators, which could potentially reduce the need for third-party apps like WhatsApp for advanced messaging capabilities. However, it is notable that RCS does not offer end-to-end encryption – a key WhatsApp feature.
Popular Stories
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors.
Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.
iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design
The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years.
iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack)
At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too.
2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple didn't update the...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station.
The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM.
...
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
