WhatsApp and Skype are facing EU scrutiny (FB)
WhatsApp brings end-to-end encryption to all users
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The European Commission (EC) is set to expand some of its telecom security regulations to encompass over-the-top (OTT) voice and text services like Apple’s FaceTime, Skype, and WhatsApp, according to Reuters.
The proposal, set for this week, has been long-awaited by many EU telecoms that desire an equal playing field — OTT services like WhatsApp and Skype are not held to the same accountability as telecom companies. And these services are generally free for users, making them an attractive alternative. This has hurt telecoms’ ability to compete against the rapidly growing OTT market, according to Market Watch.
The new proposal from the EC comes amid a broader trend of the EU cracking down on — predominantly — US tech firms in Europe. Companies including Facebook, Apple, and Google are all seeing significant pushback including anti-trust and tax-fraud cases. The dominance of these businesses is making it increasingly difficult for domestic companies to compete.
Should the directive pass, OTT services will need to uphold the same security and integrity as telecom services. This includes reporting breaches to authorities and maintaining contingency plans to ensure their service stays up and running during outages. Other proposed regulations will include extending security obligations to OTT services that are considered on par with traditional phone calls and text messages. For example, Skype and Viber, which allow users to call regular phone numbers via Skype Out and Viber Out, will need to offer emergency calls under the new rules.
Messaging apps such as Skype and and WhatsApp have evolved beyond simple text communication tools to include commerce, file sharing, artificial intelligence, and more. And that evolution is ongoing.
BI Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on messaging apps that takes a close look at the size of the messaging app market, how these apps are changing, and the types of opportunities for monetization that have emerged from the growing audience that uses messaging services daily.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:
- Mobile messaging apps are massive. The largest services have hundreds of millions of monthly active users (MAU). Falling data prices, cheaper devices, and improved features are helping propel their growth.
- Messaging apps are about more than messaging. The first stage of the chat app revolution was focused on growth. In the next phase, companies will focus on building out services and monetizing chat apps’ massive user base.
- Popular Asian messaging apps like WeChat, KakaoTalk, and LINE have taken the lead in finding innovative ways to keep users engaged. They’ve also built successful strategies for monetizing their services.
- Media companies, and marketers are still investing more time and resources into social networks like Facebook and Twitter than they are into messaging services. That will change as messaging companies build out their services and provide more avenues for connecting brands, publishers, and advertisers with users.
In full, this report:
- Gives a high-level overview of the messaging market in the US by comparing total monthly active users for the top chat apps.
- Examines the user behavior of chat app users, specifically what makes them so attractive to brands, publishers, and advertisers.
- Identifies what distinguishes chat apps in the West from their counterparts in the East.
- Discusses the potentially lucrative avenues companies are pursuing to monetize their services.
- Offers key insights and implications for marketers as they consider interacting with users through these new platforms.
To get your copy of this invaluable guide, choose one of these options:
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The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you’ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of the future of messaging apps.