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Comment by dominic2 | Hacker News Reader

I think Whatsapp has emerged as the better group service that everyone is using. It's a little too easily brushed aside in this article.

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I disagree, none of my friends use WhatsApp and I've never heard them mention it. It's all about group texts or FB chat groups. (I am 23)

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> Only, I've never heard of WhatsApp being used as anything more than an indicator that your SO is cheating on you.

How? I've never heard this. Whatsapp is on your phone like texts.

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Most plans have lots of texts but we needed international, which is an additional fee per month. Cut some off the phone bill and still can text because of it.

Unless you meant they start using it with people other than you...

WhatsApp is mostly used outside the US where SMS usage is too expensive.

Yes. Data is still way too expensive in Mexico:

$1USD = 8mb ($2 MXN = 1 mb)

In context: Daily wage is $4 USD

There was a thread posted here about the new Nokia215. SeverL people mentioned the importance of WhatsApp.

Facebook really should create a whatsapp for System 30+ -- they would dominate that market.

Whatsapp is really important in some markets. Just because you don't know anyone using it doesn't make that less true.

(Also, I use it, so now you do know someone using it!)

Please forgive me, I'm not saying no one used WhatsApp but that people in my age group, with similar socioeconomic status, that I regularly hang out with and talk to don't use it. WhatsApp is great for overseas talk and its ability to run on literally any phone but the vast majority of my friends have iPhones and the ones that don't have higher-end android phones so WhatsApp was never the "only" option for us and we gravitated to other networks.

Also understand that I am FULLY aware that I do not represent my age group nor do I represent even the "average" "young" person. I represent a small demographic but I wanted to give my views from that position.

A phone like the Nokia 215 is made for non-Western, non-first world audiences. With those audiences, WhatsApp is a bit deal. When it comes to US or other Western college campuses, maybe not so much.

I'm just saying, just because people with dumbphones or feature phones are clamoring for WhatsApp doesn't mean that people with smartphones care at all about the service.

WhatsApp I only use for when friends/family are out of the country. GroupMe gets used for any persistent groups, such as "roommates" (I am 22)

GroupMe was awesome when group SMS was shit but it's gotten much better and since everyone is one FB chat that's used more in my circle of friends. I have a few GroupMe conversations but a number have moved to FB Chat and the ones left are just a few holdouts.

Here in europe it is widely used. There might be some difference between what americans use and what europeans use. (She says that kind of in the article)

Actually the author's experience perfectly mirrors mine. International students I meet swear by it; nationals fiddle with it briefly and delete it.

Whatsapp is the primary messaging app for many of my teenage cousins. Most have it as the default message app and is a permanent fixture on their phone home screens and rarely use SMS anymore.

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