WhatsApp will not become paid, according to its CEO Will Cathcart. The application will however make some adjustments to its options and services offerings.
Cathcart confirmed in an interview with Sunday newspaper on June 26 that WhatsApp will remain free. The boss of the instant messaging platform intervened to put an end to the rumors that had been circulating for several weeks. These insisted that the app could adopt a paid model. ” This is wrong, WhatsApp will remain free », Declared the leader. The two billion users of the service can thus be reassured. They will be able to continue using WhatsApp for free. In addition, the platform will offer new services in the near future. These will mainly be intended for traders, among others with the arrival of stores in the application.
According to Cathcart, users will soon be able to order and pay on WhatsApp. Individuals and small businesses will benefit from these upcoming features for free. However, this will not be the case for large companies.
A commitment to respect for privacy
WhatsApp has been experiencing a crisis of confidence since the start of the year. Some users do not approve of its new conditions of use and data sharing. The update marks the merger with Instagram and its parent company Facebook. Cathcart took advantage of his interview with the JDD to broach the subject.
Users criticized the app for forcing adoption of the terms of service. The service had indeed announced an ultimatum on May 15 to accept the changes. Those who refused would have their access to the app very limited. The crisis of confidence is major, since it pushed the users towards the competition. Other messaging apps like Signal or Telegram then found themselves at the top of the download charts on Android and iOS. ” We must constantly earn their trust and demonstrate that we offer the most secure solution “, Cathcart said.
Read also : 4 things not to do if you value your WhatsApp account
Cathcart castigates Telegram
« If you text someone, or call them, no one can see what you wrote or hear what you said, not even WhatsApp. This is fundamental! », Explained the person in charge of the messaging. He insisted that his company remains committed to the protection of privacy. The manager also provides guarantees regarding the maintenance of end-to-end encryption.
WhatsApp’s main asset is end-to-end encryption. His boss recalled that Telegram ” does not have end-to-end encryption by default “. Group conversations do not benefit from this security either. ” This model is not the right one in our opinion because it undermines security and privacy. », Specified Cathcart.
– .
