Comparing Messaging Apps - April 2014

Apr 2, 2014 - qz.com - Comparing messaging apps is an exercise in pointlessness

Despite the hype surrounding messaging apps over the past few months, the fact is that different apps do different things for different people.

WhatsApp is like its new owner, Facebook, in that it functions as a standard that lots of people use.

Line is popular for gaming.

China’s WeChat is big on shopping and payments.

South Africa’s Mxit and India’s Hike connect users to people without smartphones.

SnapChat is fun because it’s fleeting.

Firechat, a new app, works in a small area even when there’s no internet or cell phone signal.

Comparisons between messaging apps tend to treat them as hammers and communication as a nail; in reality, they are more like a toolbox, with many different uses.

#messaging - #mobile - #app