WhatsApp is Finally Starting to Dominate in the United States. Here’s Why.

The leading global messaging app is having its breakout moment in the U.S. with some help from Tim Cook and a bit of planning.

Suddenly, everyone in the U.S. seems to be using WhatsApp. The app — once seen as an international phenomenon — grew daily users in the U.S. by 9% in 2023, according to Apptopia, and is gaining steam among the iPhone crowd.

For many, it’s become the default messenger, a drama-free alternative to Apple and Android’s blue vs. green bubble wars, and a fast way to keep in touch with contacts worldwide. If the current trend holds, WhatsApp may even threaten Apple Messages as the country’s most popular messaging app, a once unthinkable prospect.

WhatsApp’s U.S. rise didn’t happen by accident, though. It was part luck, timing, and strategy. Here’s a look at why the world’s most popular messaging app is finally surging in the United States:

Apple Opens the Door

Tim Cook handed Meta a gift by insisting that Apple’s Messages synced poorly with Android. As text messages grew richer — with reactions and special effects — the annoyance of using SMS apps across the two platforms grew. Green and blue text bubbles were…