WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion active users. Unlike other messaging platforms, WhatsApp requires users to register with a phone number rather than an email or username. This unique attribute has both advantages and disadvantages for users.
The History Behind WhatsApp’s Phone Number Requirement
WhatsApp was created in 2009 by Brian Acton and Jan Koum, former employees of Yahoo. Their goal was to build a messaging app that offered the speed and reliability of SMS text messaging, but was available on smartphones and could send messages over the internet to avoid SMS costs.
To achieve this, they designed WhatsApp to utilize a user’s existing phone number and address book. Upon installing the app, WhatsApp automatically reads the user’s phone contacts and indicates which ones are also using WhatsApp. This allows users to immediately start chatting with people they already know and have in their address book.
Linking accounts to phone numbers avoided the need to create new usernames and passwords, and allowed WhatsApp to instantly provide users with a customized network of contacts. This focus on leveraging phone numbers was a key factor in WhatsApp’s rapid growth when it launched.
Privacy and Security
Using phone numbers as the primary account identifier provides several privacy and security benefits for WhatsApp users:
- It prevents anonymous users and fake accounts – Since numbers are tied to real SIM cards and phones, it adds accountability.
- It lets users easily block contacts by number if needed.
- If a phone number changes hands, the new user can’t access the previous user’s WhatsApp account.
- It enables end-to-end encryption of messages tied to specific devices.
Overall, using phone numbers reduces spam and abuse compared to platforms with more open sign-up processes. WhatsApp provides additional options like two-factor authentication for added account security.
Ease of Use
Linking to phone numbers also makes WhatsApp very easy to use. Users don’t have to come up with a username or remember a password. The app automatically imports contacts, so there’s no need to search for people or add them manually. New phones can simply install WhatsApp and access the same account. This simplicity and convenience helped fuel WhatsApp’s viral growth early on.
Global Scale
Phone numbers are universally recognized identifiers. Unlike usernames and emails, they are consistent across countries and languages. This allowed WhatsApp to scale globally with minimal localization. A Russian user can message a contact in Brazil just as easily as a domestic one. WhatsApp now operates seamlessly across 180 countries using the same phone-based system.
Marketing
Access to users’ phone numbers provides WhatsApp with a way to uniquely identify accounts. While WhatsApp does not see message content, its parent company Meta can use these phone numbers for targeted advertising in its other apps like Facebook and Instagram. However, WhatsApp cannot use them for direct marketing purposes without consent due to privacy restrictions.
Disadvantages of the Phone Number System
Despite its advantages, using phone numbers as the basis for WhatsApp accounts also has some drawbacks for users:
- It allows WhatsApp to be linked to and tracked alongside a phone in invasive ways.
- It necessitates sharing potentially private phone info with WhatsApp.
- Changing phone numbers means losing access to the associated WhatsApp account.
- It permits only one account per number, preventing use of multiple accounts.
- It complicates account access from non-phone devices like tablets or computers.
While WhatsApp provides workarounds for using its desktop and web apps, the need to sync everything back to a phone remains a limitation imposed by its numbering system. Users with privacy concerns may also not feel comfortable providing their personal phone information.
Comparisons with Other Platforms
Unlike WhatsApp, most major messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Signal, and Line allow multiple accounts linked to emails, usernames, or device IDs instead of phone numbers. However, this comes with tradeoffs:
| Platform | Account System | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone numbers | Easily import contacts, no usernames, avoids spam accounts | Links accounts to phones, limited to one account per number | |
| Facebook Messenger | Facebook accounts | Links to existing Facebook profiles, multiple accounts possible | Less private, requires Facebook account |
| Telegram | Usernames or phone numbers | Can use usernames for anonymity, allows multiple accounts | More potential for spam/abuse from anonymous accounts |
| Signal | Phone numbers | Like WhatsApp, ties accounts to real phones for privacy | Limits users to one account per number |
WhatsApp chose phone numbers rather than usernames mainly to leverage existing contact lists and connections. While less flexible for users, this proved successful in driving viral adoption and avoiding spam early on.
The Future of WhatsApp’s Numbering System
Despite some limitations, using phone numbers as account identifiers contributed greatly to WhatsApp’s global success. The company continues investing in this system going forward:
- WhatsApp recently increased the number of devices that can use an account from 1 phone to up to 4 devices.
- Phone number accounts will remain the requirement for signing up and using WhatsApp.
- No plans to support username-based accounts have been announced.
- New privacy features give users more control over how their numbers are used.
While unlikely to change its core numbering system that fueled its growth, WhatsApp may add options to use the service more flexibly across devices. But the singular marriage of accounts to phone numbers will persist as both a strength and limitation of WhatsApp’s approach to user identification.
Conclusion
In summary, WhatsApp’s reliance on phone numbers for its accounts provides significant benefits for privacy, security, ease of use, and global scalability. But it also imposes limitations on users wanting more flexibility, anonymity, or ability to separate the app from their phone service. WhatsApp chose this approach early on to tap into users’ existing contacts and connections. While other messaging apps offer more account options today, WhatsApp’s phone number system remains deeply embedded in how the platform functions and there are no signs yet that the company plans to change it.