According to Mark Zuckerberg, messaging app WhatsApp could reach 3 billion, a much higher figure than the 1 billion users that Facebook aimed to reel in with the app.
Facebook acquired WhatsApp in February for a whopping $19 billion, when the app had around 450 million users worldwide. In August of this year, WhatsApp founder Jan Koum tweeted that the app had reached 600 million active users. At the rate of growth that it is currently at, the messaging app will probably reach 1 billion users sometime next year.
While the merger between Facebook and WhatsApp has been given the go ahead by U.S. regulators, it is still under review from regulators in Europe. Even when the acquisition is approved by European regulators, WhatsApp and Facebook will remain separate and independent of each other.
Mark Zuckerberg announced that the app could reach two to three billion users at an event in Mexico City, where he also announced that the social media giant would be pouring billions of dollars into reaching as many people as possible. This includes finding ways to connect those who do not currently have Internet access.
Facebook currently has 1.3 billion users worldwide and has a goal of connecting everyone in the world.
“Even if Facebook has to spend billions of dollars over the next decade just to make it happen,” said Zuckerberg at the event. According to the Facebook CEO and founder, connecting everyone worldwide would cost billions, but it would be beneficial in the long run. Connecting everyone in the world would also help Facebook with its mission of making WhatsApp the global messaging app.
Facebook is partnering with a number of companies around the world to help bring Internet access to those that do not yet have it.
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