mobile messaging Archives

AppWizard

December 21, 2025

How AIM taught the internet to chat

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was a transformative platform for online communication during the late 1990s and early 2000s, becoming a cultural phenomenon despite initial skepticism from AOL executives. It gained popularity as a means for users to connect with friends and express themselves through quirky screen names and away messages. AIM faced challenges in monetization and adapting its business model but left a significant mark on internet history. Its decline was influenced by the rise of social networks and mobile messaging apps. The story of AIM's impact is discussed in a recent episode of the Version History podcast.

AppWizard

October 29, 2025

95% of Internet users already use messaging apps: the most universal digital habit

Over 94.5% of global internet users engage with chat applications monthly, making messaging the most prevalent digital activity. The top three motivations for online activity are searching for information (62.8%), staying in touch with friends and family (60.2%), and following news and events (55%). Messaging aligns with maintaining connections and accessing real-time information, resulting in a consistent engagement rate of around 95% among users. Young adults aged 25 to 34 have over 96% participation in messaging apps. As of February 2025, the most popular messaging apps are WhatsApp (over 2 billion monthly active users), WeChat (1.38 billion), Facebook Messenger (947 million), Snapchat (850 million), and QQ (562 million). WhatsApp had over 35 million downloads in August 2025, followed by Telegram (28 million) and Snapchat (27 million). In-app purchase revenue shows Snapchat leading with over 0 million per month, while Telegram and LINE generate approximately million each. Countries like Nigeria, Morocco, Ghana, and South Africa report nearly 100% monthly engagement with messaging platforms, while Mexico and Brazil surpass 98%. In the U.S., Facebook Messenger (60%) leads, followed by FaceTime, iMessage, and WhatsApp. WhatsApp had 3.24 billion unique mobile users by June 2025, with users in Indonesia and Brazil spending over 24 hours per month on the app. In emerging markets, it serves as a platform for video calls, news sharing, money transfers, and shopping. Trends in mobile messaging include 35.5% of internet users engaging in video calls, with Nigeria leading at 75%. Telegram has over 12 million premium subscribers, and digital communities like Discord are thriving. Microsoft Teams has 320 million daily active users, and Zoom remains significant for virtual meetings. In digital commerce, 32% of shoppers start their search on Google or other search engines, 29% on marketplaces, and 8% directly on social media, with Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok being key platforms for in-app shopping.

AppWizard

September 23, 2025

OpenAI’s latest GPT-5 integrated into Korea’s top mobile chat app KakaoTalk

OpenAI Inc. is launching its generative AI platform, GPT-5, on KakaoTalk starting in October. This was announced by Kakao Corp. CEO Chung Shina at the company's annual developers conference. The integration of GPT-5 into KakaoTalk is the first result of the partnership between Kakao and OpenAI established in February. A new ChatGPT tab will be added to the KakaoTalk interface, allowing approximately 50 million users to access OpenAI’s model without a separate download. Users will be able to process and generate text and images for sharing within chatrooms. Kakao also plans to launch Kakao Agent, an AI-powered assistant that connects users to various services in its ecosystem, including gift sending, Kakao Map, reservations, and music streaming. Kakao has created PlayMCP, a platform for developers to create AI service tools. South Korea has the highest number of paid ChatGPT users outside the U.S.

AppWizard

November 25, 2024

Here’s What To Do If Your WhatsApp Account Gets Hacked

WhatsApp, owned by Facebook, has nearly three billion users worldwide and is susceptible to hacking, which can lead to scams and unauthorized access. Signs of a hacked account include unusual messages from unknown contacts, unread messages marked as read, unexpected verification codes, and changes to profile information. If an account is compromised, users should delete any fake messages, check for unauthorized apps, review linked devices, inform contacts about the breach, and enable two-step verification for added security. To recover a hacked account, users can sign in with their phone number to receive a six-digit code, logging out any unauthorized users. If two-step verification is enabled and the PIN is forgotten, a seven-day waiting period will apply before regaining access.

AppWizard

November 19, 2024

Use of mobile messaging apps in Brazil 2023

From 2018 to 2023, the penetration rates of mobile messaging apps among smartphone users in Brazil changed as follows: - WhatsApp increased from 80% to 95%. - Telegram rose from 15% to 40%. - Facebook Messenger stabilized around 50%. - Signal grew from 5% to 15%. These changes reflect a shift towards secure messaging platforms and increased user awareness of privacy issues.