AppsNews

Signal Records Massive Usage as Netizens Flee WhatsApp

signal app

Barely two days after Telegram announced reaching the 500 million active user mark, Signal, another acclaimed WhatsApp alternative is also having a great week. From the over 10 million-plus play store downloads, Signal has skyrocketed past the 50 million.

Estimates from Apptopia, an analytics firm, reveal that Signal averaged 50,000 downloads a day in 2020, but it added over 1.2 million users on Monday.

Signal revealed on Wednesday that it was the number app in 70 countries on iOS and 45 countries on Android.

In Kenya, Signal currently tops the list under “Top charts” and number 12 under “Trending.”

Signal is also strengthening its specifications and has promised to add a couple of new features to retain the new userbase.

Since last week millions have flocked to Telegram and Signal after Facebook-owned WhatsApp made some controversial privacy policy changes. WhatsApp’s privacy policy changes have angered many who are now on the hunt seeking alternative platforms to “securely” continue interacting with their friends and loved ones.

Telegram yesterday released eye-popping details about user growth. Over 25 million joined Telegram in three days which helped the platform’s active userbase reach half a billion.

Facebook has cleared up the air on the meaning of upcoming privacy policy changes on WhatsApp squashing misinformation doing rounds online that the company will read user’s private messages.

Instead, the new policy changes touch on messages sent to business accounts on WhatsApp. Facebook plans to give businesses a way to host their chats on the cloud as an alternative solution, and blatantly promises that it can use the data for advertising purposes.

The company has also promised to label chats of businesses that have opted to use its cloud-hosting services. That way you can know whether your chats with a business account can be used for ad-targeting.

Read Next: 25 Million People Join Telegram in 72 Hours, Fleeing from WhatsApp

About author

Alvin Wanjala has been writing about technology for over 2 years(and counting). He writes about different topics in the consumer tech space. He loves streaming music, programming, and gaming during downtimes.
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