Showdown: Meta's WhatsApp Challenges Apple's iMessage in the U.S.

The accelerating adoption of WhatsApp in the U.S., challenging Apple's dominant iMessage service among iPhone users is taking hold. Historically, Americans primarily used WhatsApp for international contacts or communicating with Android users, but recent growth shows a significant shift, with Meta's messaging app surpassing 100 million monthly U.S. users, over half of whom are on iOS. This change is attributed largely to WhatsApp’s superior capabilities for managing large group chats, as it permits up to 1,024 participants compared to iMessage's 32-person limit. Furthermore, other factors contributing to WhatsApp's appeal, such as its multi-platform availability, new features like Communities for organized communication, and its functionality, though the service is beginning to introduce ads and Meta AI integration.