WhatsApp launches WhatsApp Web, a web client which can be used through a web browser by syncing with the mobile device's connection. Within a week, WhatsApp introduces an update allowing users to disable this feature. WhatsApp introduces Read Receipts, which show when a message is read by a recipient. Someone discovers a vulnerability in WhatsApp encryption on the Android application that allows another app to access and read all of a user’s chat conversations within it. Facebook pays $4 billion in cash, $12 billion in Facebook shares, and an additional $3 billion in restricted stock units granted to WhatsApp's founders. announces its acquisition of WhatsApp for US$19 billion, its largest acquisition to date. Telegram, a cloud-based instant messaging service, launches. WhatsApp changes its profit model with an annual subscription fee of $1 after a free first year. Sequoia invests another $50 million in Series B round, valuing WhatsApp at $1.5 billion. WhatsApp's user base grows to about 200 million active users and its staff to 50. The WhatsApp support staff announce that messages were encrypted in the 'latest version' of the WhatsApp software for iOS and Android (but not BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and Symbian), without specifying the cryptographic method. Īn unknown hacker publishes a website that makes it possible to change the status of an arbitrary WhatsApp user, as long as the phone number was known. SnapChat, a competing photo messaging app, is founded.

In Series A round, WhatsApp founders agree to take $7 million from Sequoia Capital on top of their $250,000 seed funding, after months of negotiation with Sequoia partner Jim Goetz. It eventually starts to compete with WhatsApp and becomes very popular in China. WhatsApp support for Android OS is added. īrian Acton persuades five ex-Yahoo! friends to invest $250,000 in seed funding, and is granted co-founder status. WhatsApp 2.0 is released on the App Store for the iPhone.

Jan Koum incorporates WhatsApp in California. Reception and criticism of security and privacy features in the WhatsApp messaging service WhatsApp Timeline

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