The Facebook-owned popular mobile messaging app, WhatsApp finally hit the one billion user base on February 1,2016. The messenger is used for a wide variety of purposes ranging from personal to business.
Within a span of 6 years, WhatsApp has penetrated the international market with zero monetisation and more recently, dropped the annual fee of $1 with a further emphasis on keeping the app free of ads. Competitive apps still charge for optional items like stickers and emoticons.
Facebook acquired the app in 2014 for $19 billion with an aim to use the data to improve their own targeted advertising.
[Via Whatsapp Blog]