[jillesvangurp]

I've seen chat networks come and go. Whatsapp is at it's peak; it can only decline at this point. Most users don't actually care about features, they care about reaching each other. Whatsapp provides that. You could argue that whatsapp was never about the features. It's always been a somewhat bland and bare bones UX. It's simple and easy to understand. That kind of is the whole point.

But Whatsapp got where it is through 1 simple feature: it discovered other whatsapp users through your phone book so that made it easy to start using it. Install the app, and others would find you. That feature has since been copied by world + dog. Telegram, Signal, etc. do the same. Now that both are getting to the hundreds of millions of users (telegram got there ages ago), that safe moat that whatsapp enjoyed is not so safe anymore. I know non technical users that are very eager to escape Facebook's clutches that already deleted their facebook profiles and installed alternative chat clients. Moving over is easier than ever.

Anyway, I'm old enough to remember reluctantly joining the msn network because a lot of people I knew started using that. ICQ, AOL, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, etc. all used to be popular and now are pretty much gone. Whatsapp can easily join those ranks. There's nothing inevitable about its perpetual monopoly on communication. Nothing whatsoever.

If anything, Facebook seems in a hurry to blow its feet off with misguided/dubious decisions on privacy, user hostile actions, and increasing likelihood of having to deal with anti trust legislation in multiple of its markets. It's not helping their case. Every time they are in the news it seems to have a negative tone and some of their users act on it. Facebook is being arrogant.

Signal is a breath of fresh air in this space. Structured as a foundation, OSS client and server (unlike most other things out there). Apparently, Elon Musk recommending it the other day caused a nice influx of users.

[1241rtfasfasf]

Why should it be at its peak? Look at WeChat. If WhatsApp successfully transitions to a platform with payments, business interactions, possibly in-app-ecosystem, then the network effects become even crazier.

Signal on the other hand doesn't even attempt any of that: it solves messaging with no perspective on third-party service integration.

[bavell]

One of the biggest reasons I use and like Signal is because it doesn't have a bunch of extra stupid crap like payments, in-app ecosystem, business interactions and all the other junk pushed by corporations in a quest to "expand the userbase".

I just want a solid texting platform, that's it. So far I've been happy, even with a few unnecessary updates like stickers (?!) and disappearing messages (ugh).

[1241rtfasfasf]

This is exactly the argument the GP made: your view is extremely niche.

Most people want features, convenience,… real stuff that feels like feature, instead of abstract concepts.

[bavell]

I disagree, most people just want to be on the same network/platform as their contacts and most people don't care about extra bells and whistles but a small niche is out there that actually does.

[vinay_ys]

Most people don't imagine they want those features until they see someone else in their social group using them – fancy status in the form of stories is a great example of this.

People have a strong desire to imitate and one-up others in their social group.

If you build a feature that even 1% of users self-start to use, then the social network can snow ball that with the right mechanics. And these feature need only be used by 20-30% of users for it to be considered a success. Every user is not expected to use all features.

[itsarnavb]

My sense for WhatsApp's dominance is peripheral contacts. I can convince close friends and family to move to Signal, but not distant friends, especially the large groups I'm in.

I'm pretty bearish on Signal for this reason. (even though I use it personally)

The playbook for unlocking adoption would be via a 'minority rule' where Signal users refuse to talk to people on WA, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[mnadkvlb]

I actually did just that. Changed my status to “only reachable by signal app” also same message on my profile pic. Just got around 5 people who talk to me on whatsapp already writing me on signal without problem. And funny thing 3/5 have also done same to their whatsapp now

[1241rtfasfasf]

Let's assume somebody said that for some other platform: "only reachable through Telegram" or Facebook Messenger.

What would you think?

That somebody certainly values the choice of platform higher than your convenience to chat with him or her.

[bavell]

Why do you need to convince them to move to Signal at all? Why does Signal need to unlock more adoption?

Constant growth and expansion isn't always a good thing and IMO it applies here.

[dunefox]

> Why do you need to convince them to move to Signal at all?

Because ideally one doesn't want to be forced to donate data to Facebook because of WhatsApps network effect?

[jillesvangurp]

I require none of those things for being able to chat with my sister, mother, or random friends. Facebook wanting a piece of the action that is skimming off transactions I conduct with shops or online is not something I need or want in my life. And make no mistake, that's the only reason they are eager to get into that business. They'll fail because they add no obvious value here.