WhatsApp For iOS Goes Free But Will Charge $1 Annual Subscription After The 1st Year; Conversation History Gets iCloud Backup
The hugely famous, WhatsApp messenger, is now free but subscription fee will soon be charged.
WhatsApp messenger for iOS was previously available in the Apple AppStore for $0.99. However, the app can now be downloaded for free as it moves to the subscription model followed by the Android and other mobile platforms, which charges 1 USD every year.
NBC News reported that Jan Koum, the CEO of the company that created WhatsApp Messenger, revealed this news during an interview with Alexander Klopping, a Dutch Journalist. The interview appeared on 2 Dutch blogs and it later appeared on TechRunch.
The report posted the simple reason behind the change of WhatsApp Messenger iOS app from a paid program to something requiring a subscription fee. WhatsApp messenger was initially launched for iOS mobile device with a $0.99 download fee. Afterwards, the messenger app moved to other platforms using a subscription model which is free for the first year then will charge 99 cents annually thereafter.
And now, it is time for the WhatsApp Messenger for iOS to use the same subscription model. Those who have already downloaded the app will not have to change anything. However, beginning later this year, (no specific date is revealed yet), new users will get the app for free but they have to shell out $1 every year.
Furthermore, a new update for WhatsApp Messenger for iOS was made available and there are new features added. Some of the additional features made for the messenger app are: sending multiple photos in the same message; use of custom URL-schemes for 3rd party apps, and back up conversation history using iCloud. Make sure to update to the latest version of WhatsApp, the v.2.10.1.
WhatsApp messenger has been regarded as the 6th most popular paid app of all time. Currently, it has more than 250 million users allowing them to exchange SMS and MMS without being charged by the network carriers. WhatsApp messenger is one of the first apps to provide alternative to texting, and it grown extremely popular over the years.
Download WhatsApp messenger for iOS for free now and get ready to pay $1 annual subscription fee after the first year.