Messaging Apps Comparison part 1

Yesterday a friend of mine asking about the difference of messaging apps that we are currently used , the discussion started because we are brainstorming which apps to be used.

All the stories start because currently I am involving in 2 groups that trying to develop our community based in Jakarta mainly, the other already quite well at least gather 800+ member over the span of 2 years for data sciene because Indonesia really lacked of professional who are working in the data sciene field and all this times business owner ignored about it but recently because of the development of startup so fast, VC and the investors need data and people needs to be trained.

I am a bit shocked when I went back to Indonesia because the data are ignored even by big companies as fo them the most important thing are customer as their cash cow whithout the needed to think about other aspect well it’s not 100% wrong but it also not 100% right either.

Because of the startup industry moving so fast the universities rarely pay attention to details because it cause them longer time to brew the logical thinking and the student just being fed; like the process of making foie gra isn’t it ? but that’s the truth I just recently open my curent company source code for their HR web and it’s shocking because everything hard coded without any relational database rules and now I know the problems .

Ok back to the story after long background story, another group I am start to working on are bitcoin and blockchain community and this one still hell of long joiurney because currently some people who are in the group just cared about they hype but not willing to spend their time reading or doing small research so we need to do our homework to sort the weed from the real bunch.

I learned a lot fromt eh data sciene group because the way thinking already in logical order and strategical (those data sciene bunch know well :D I just becoming their silent reader and just throw my opinion when the time is needed hehehehe) .

So these 2 groups using 2 different messaging apps;

Telegram
Whatsapp

and we are looking into other options like :

Line
Slack

Just those 2 because it’s pretty hard to use BBM for group chat hahahaha

But all these messaging apps coming with plus and minus that I would like to discuss here :

Whatsapp → Cons: other people can see your number even strangers can send you message as long as they have your number and internet connection which is vulnerable in term of security especially if creating a group where some people might not know each other also if you are gojek or uber in jakarta sometimes the driver just contact you with reason they doesn’t have credit to call or send u sms; not for big group max 256ppl in a group . Pro: you can block the unwanted numbers ; suddenly keep in touch with your old friend because you have their numbers and both using whatsapp; appropriate for private group.
LINE → Cons: people can using phone number too; can’t quote previous message. Pro: If you don’t like it just block it ; many official brand makes their LINE account and sometimes they are offering discount or buy 1 get 1 from their official LINE account ; If you like K-Pop LINE is the first in line offering streaming with their official k-pop stars account ; People can add by Id -doesn’t need any phone numbers required; and LINE is the 1st mesaging apps that ofering free call (as far as I knew in Indonesia)beside kakaotalk and latter on these feature copy by whatsapp; Nobody can add you withhout your permission; Micro blogging site even much more useful than twitter because you can create notes and creating a private group board; Cute stickers and GIF.
Telegram → Cons: Installing another messaging apps again :(( Pro: People in Indonesia not too familiar with this apps and there’s few step of learning needed but it can create a direct pooling in apps; opening link without leaving apps ; pinned mesage board; Can’t called but could record voice; whatsapp also copying the way messaging attachment like attaching doc or locations and also quoting previous message.
Kakao Talk → being left out as people in SE asia prefer to used LINE while LINE and kakao have the same feature it just the marketing persitent that determine the final outcomes. Cons: too late to pivoting their business model for Indoensia and other SE asia market . Pro: the leader in offering buy 1 get 1 offer for official account
Slack → everyone in tech know this well and it’s been tech sweetheart; I couldn’t agree more as the feature quite supportive for large group the only cons are people have to learn to used it because if the person are not willing to learn it’s gonna be sth that’s hard to use for people outside tech world but in terms of file sharing and group disscussion slack quite useful
WeChat → this contender from China mostly used to communicate with people in the mainland as it got some cool feature. Cons : you have to learn how to use it again :p ; Pro: Could communicate with people in mainland china to buy for things sold in alibaba or taobao and have easy direct translate feature which other apps doesn’t have no direct contender for this even LINE bots and translator not as good as Wechat; also have microblogging feature like LINE could share your picture or uploading about your live live sttreaming without the needed to have facebook or instagram anymore :D if you are in China could be used to pay for grocery or food in restaurant just scan the QR code and it can conenct to your mobile wallet
Fb messenger, BBM → No need to mentioned compare to those I mentioned above not as good as daily messaging apps we have because it’s lagging and some feature that are common

There’s always pro and cons for every messaging platform but the most imporatant thing is a distict feature that making peole would like to install and use it. I hear so many people say I have a great idea for messaging bla bla bla but the main questions lies Have you done your homework to do the research and being open mind when other peole give their opinion. Not all opnion are good but not all all bad too.

Fancy names means nothing if the feature are not useful for the greater goods. I would like to hear more from you as this one only based on what I know and what I experience. There’s lots of underlying factors that I might be not aware of. and If you are interested to bitcoin and blockchain developemnt in Indonesia ping me !