Suddenly, everyone in the U.S. seems to be using WhatsApp. The app — once seen as an international phenomenon — grew daily users in the U.S. by 9% in 2023, according to Apptopia, and is gaining steam among the iPhone crowd.
For many, it’s become the default messenger, a drama-free alternative to Apple and Android’s blue vs. green bubble wars, and a fast way to keep in touch with contacts worldwide. If the current trend holds, WhatsApp may even threaten Apple Messages as the country’s most popular messaging app, a once unthinkable prospect.
WhatsApp’s U.S. rise didn’t happen by accident, though. It was part luck, timing, and strategy.