Data pick of the day: WhatsApp now used by 19% onliners
Outside of China, 19 per cent of adults aged 16-64 are monthly users, representing a 30 per cent rise compared to six months ago. Perhaps most significantly, WhatsApp has now overtaken Facebook Messenger in popularity to become the third biggest social app.
If we look at the countries where WhatsApp is being used by the highest proportions, it’s clear why its acquisition was so important for Facebook – the list is dominated by emerging internet nations, with the figure hitting 50 per cent or more in Hong Kong, South Africa, Malaysia and Singapore. In contrast, WhatsApp is being used by just 3 per cent in the USA.
