Apple iOS users will now be getting the subscription model that Whatsapp had been using for the past few years on Android, Blackberry and other platforms. The messaging service had been charging yearly subscription to Android users for accessing their service and had kept this a one time lifetime purchase for iOS counterparts. The reason for this change is
strategy has not been revealed other than the CEO Jan Koum saying that “We want to keep things simple.” He also stifled some rumours by adding that they are not planning any desktop apps in the near future and intend to stay on mobile for the time being. Further details on when this is expected to be implemented and how this will be rolled out to present users have not been divulged. The only timeline indication being that it will be done before the end of this year and that the present users will not be charged, thus extending the model only to new purchases. This will finally bring in line the differentiation of pricing models between iOS and other platforms for future users. The messaging app transmits more than 17 billion messages everyday and more than 100 million users have downloaded it till date. The biggest reason for the success is the fact that it is cross platform and is available on almost all major platforms.
