Jan Koum, co-creator of WhatsApp, announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that WhatsApp will offer the voice calling service in the second half of this year.
As has also been revealed at the congress, WhatsApp has 465 million active users monthly and 330 million daily. The application, which allowed messages to be recorded and broadcast on a type of walkie-talkie, now wants to carry out voice conversations, as is the case with Skype. If WhatsApp texts already caused the end of SMS, what can happen to your own calls?
Koum has also announced that in Germany they are going to release SIM cards (but not mobile phones). It will be a prepaid SIM, like what Tuenti already does in Spain. To do this, they partner with the operator EPlus. "Our goal is to be on all smartphones," Koum stressed.
It has also been known that WhatsApp will continue to prioritize simplicity in its services, insisting that nothing will change in the app no matter how much they have been acquired by Facebook. "Mark knows better than anyone that we have to be independent. Just like Instagram. The fundamental message is that we are going to continue with our goal, with our mission. No, there is no marketing." So what will Facebook achieve? "Well, it makes sense for Facebook if they want to make the world more open and connected," Jan answers.
In WhatsApp there are already 55 workers and they will grow, but little. "Not too much. We have to remain humble and think as always, like a startup."
