Hike beats WhatsApp to launching messenger app payments in India

I think that Whatsapp does not understand how the diehard users use it.

I live in India, one of whatsapp's biggest markets. I am stunned every day by the level of penetration that whatsapp has achieved here. From people in the slums to people over 65, everyone uses whatsapp. I regularly see long-form, local language content on whatsapp. I wonder who is writing all this. It reminds me of the early email days.

Whatsapp has wasted way too much time trying to cater to the snapchat demographic. But the snapchat demographic, either has not heard of Whatsapp (average US user) or thinks whatsapp is what you use to talk to grandma (the average Indian teenager).

They announced their intent to work on digital payments a full four months after demonetization was announced in India. No release yet (8 months and counting). They have probably squandered a massive opportunity here.

To my knowledge, they do not have any presence in India, their largest market. I wonder if that would have made all the difference.

But not many uses Hike in India. WhatsApp still the most widely use app in India.