Just as there is a backlash over WhatsApp's new privacy policy, and a simultaneous debate over which messaging app can replace it, it has emerged in a study that a new trend of using multiple apps for chatting and sharing is picking up in India.
"Users have figured out a definite reason to be on different messaging apps. More than 85% of the respondents had a specific purpose for showing the behaviour of using multiple apps," according to a user insights research carried out by techARC.
Users are actively engaging across platforms daily indicating there is no clear-cut primary messaging app. Most of the users across apps use it several times in a day (at least 10 times).
Commenting on the findings, Faisal Kawoosa, Founder & Chief Analyst, techARC said, “Though there is a clear first mover advantage for WhatsApp, users are increasingly signing up other platforms like Telegram and Signal for their unique features and better security they offer. With this future of messaging apps in India is going to be pluralistic in nature.”
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WhatsApp's privacy plan is indeed a bone of contention
Among major messaging apps, WhatsApp has more than 53% of its users for over 3 years. In the past 3 years, Telegram gained most of its users, while in the past 1 years, Signal gained more than 47% of its users.
App users in India install the messaging apps through OS based stores. The pre-installed apps on smartphones is the 2nd most popular source for users to discover messaging apps, the research said.
Over 32% of the respondents send critical/secret messages over Telegram. More than 45% of the users are apprehensive about WhatsApp privacy plans. However, not all of them are unsure about the security as 81% of the users are still confident regarding the privacy and security offered by WhatsApp.
Even if WhatsApp loses its competitive advantage of most of the contacts for anybody using the app, over 70% of the respondents said they will continue to use both – WhatsApp and Telegram.
Many Telegram users part of govt groups
Telegram has also become an integral part of Digital India initiative. Nearly 44% of the respondents were part of some government channel or group on Telegram. In terms of engagement, it stands at a tie with WhatsApp with users using them equally at 34.4%.
The diversity of India is also being well supported by Telegram’s spread. 49% of the Telegram users are part of a regional group sharing content in native language.
The purpose of this study was to assess the state of messaging apps in India to understand the future trends based on user perception and behaviour.
The survey was based on a sample of 2,000 users across demographics.
Via: techARC