WhatsApp Went Down Worldwide: Here Are Some Messaging Alternatives
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps around. It allows you to communicate with anyone around the world for free. Some love that it’s an alternative to traditional text messaging and SMS messaging. You don’t have to worry about fees or overage charges. The best thing about WhatsApp is that you can use it anytime, anywhere. You don’t have to worry about roaming fees.
But, it’s not convenient when it goes down. Thankfully, WhatsApp is back up after suffering an outage that affected users across the globe for several hours, reports Tech Crunch. The outage happened earlier this week. It even caused WhatsApp to trend worldwide on Twitter. The Facebook-owned messaging service confirmed in a statement to the media that it was down, but did not give a reason why.
WhatsApp Is Back Up After Worldwide Outage – Brace Yourself For All https://t.co/7QsKSAVfJg #JBKlutse #Tech #Social #News #Australia #Ghana
— John-Bunya Klutse (@JBKlutse) May 6, 2017
“Earlier today, WhatsApp users in all parts of the world were unable to access WhatsApp for a few hours. We have now fixed the issue and apologize for the inconvenience,” a WhatsApp spokesperson stated in an email.
WhatsApp’s social media accounts appeared to be active. Users wanted to know why the messaging app was down, but the company refused to provide further information. WhatsApp has an official customer service Twitter account called WhatsApp Status. The bio says the company is working hard to remove the account altogether. Some users noticed that the account still exists and wanted to know why WhatsApp decided to do away with it.
Any reason @wa_status has not kept Whatsapp users informed as to WhatsAppening? ?
— Miqdaad Versi (@miqdaad) May 3, 2017
.@wa_status @WhatsApp "We are working very hard to make this twitter account irrelevant." ?? pic.twitter.com/LGDVdUOlIM
— tochmi (@xtochmi) May 3, 2017
WhatsApp could’ve kept users informed on the outage via the WhatsApp Status Twitter account. Even the official WhatsApp Twitter account hasn’t been used since August, 2016.
In case another outage happens, you want to have a backup. It’s important to have a messaging app backup if you are expecting an important message. Of course, you can just send a text message or email, but here are some alternatives that provide a more secure experience, according to Beebom.
Telegram Messenger has been hailed as the best WhatsApp competitor for a while now. The open-source messaging app is the best alternative since it has end-to-end encryption, passcode lock, public channels, and the ability to share files up to 1.5 GB. You can also add up to 5,000 people in your super groups.
Telegram can be used on multiple platforms at once, unlike WhatsApp. That means you can text on your phone and continue to use it on your PC or laptop. However, Telegram lacks key features like voice and video calls. If you don’t care about making and receiving calls, then you will find that Telegram is a great alternative anytime WhatsApp is down.
Wire is the next best option. If you have a WhatsApp addiction, then you might love this replacement. You will be impressed by its simple and minimalistic interface and unique features. This open-source app includes end-to-end encryption, and the ability to use it on multiple devices at once.
Wire has other important features like group video calls, self-destructing messages, and the ability to delete messages from multiple contacts. Some would say that Wire is the best WhatsApp alternative out there.
There’s no denying that Google and Facebook are in close competition with each other. Allo is a new messaging app from Google. While it’s not in direct competition with WhatsApp, it enhances the experience for the user. For example, you can get information on weather, news, flights, nearby businesses, or anything else you’re looking for.
Allo also works with Gboard, which has features similar to WhatsApp. Allo has Smart Replies, Incognito Chats, end-to-end encryption, self-destructing messages, stickers, and more. Some may like the looks of the Allo interface. Unfortunately, Allo lacks the ability to backup chats.
WhatsApp allows you to back up your chats on Google Drive. Ironically enough, you can’t do that with Google’s Allo. It also lacks the ability to make voice or video calls, and the ability to share files. If that doesn’t matter much to you, then Allo makes a great WhatsApp replacement.
You can check out the rest of the WhatsApp alternatives on Beebom. When you’re looking for a WhatsApp alternative, keep in mind the features that you need and the ones that you can live without – albeit temporarily. Of course, if you want an easier alternative, then you could just use Skype.
[Featured Image by Carl Court/Getty Images]
