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by kefyras 1024 days ago
> As someone else mentioned, it's probably also true in Europe that a lot of people would see having WhatsApp as close to essential.

What are you referring to? While it may be the most popular messaging app, it's not in any way, shape, or form essential. SMS is also universal, mostly unlimited, and much less weirder than it is in the US.
1 comments
ghaff 1024 days ago
I only know what Europeans tell me. I assume different people have different takes on what is essential. And my understanding is SMS can still be pricey. (Not sure what's weird about SMS in the US? It's on my phone. I use it. It can piggyback on iMessage but that's not necessary and is transparent, bubble color notwithstanding.)
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kefyras 1024 days ago
>And my understanding is SMS can still be pricey.

It hasn't been for like 15+ years since pretty much every subscription has either unlimited*/or more than you can reasonably use minutes/SMS.

>Not sure what's weird about SMS in the US?

Don't you get (or used to) charged for incoming SMS?

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ghaff 1024 days ago
Both outgoing and incoming SMS used to have charges but (AFAIK) all the major plans now include unlimited SMS. I think the US went to mostly "free" SMS before much of Europe did which probably explains WhatsApp becoming the most common thing. (The only people I use WhatsApp with from the US are international.)
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