Whatsapp Integration?

What are Whatsapp's advantage over the likes of Google Hangouts and Facebook Messenger from the perspective of how many devices one can use from a single ID?

• I'm talking about the different policies that are there in case of Whatsapp (or BBM) and Google Hangouts (Messenger). In Whatsapp's case, you can't use more than one device from a single phone number, if you switch, you lose connection on this earlier device. Strictly one device per number. While in case of Hangouts, with one ID you can add as many device as you want, plus web and desktop integration (messenger). All the chats are synchronized over all the devices. Limited to this difference, what according to you is the reason for these policies, and which is better and why? Are we going to see Whatsapp adapting this approach in the future with a cloud account to support multiple devices?

• Answer:

  IMO, Whatsapp is an app that replaces text messaging (SMS). And the way you cannot use the same number in two different phones (like using duplicate SIMs in different phones, you cannot do that. The previous sim will be invalid the moment a duplicate SIM is issued.), the same way Whatsapp works I think. In case of Facebook messenger or Google Hangout, they're based on email id. They're user apps (social networking), whereas Whatsapp can be considered a system app (messaging). Now, regarding its justification, since a Whatsapp account is linked by the number you're using, the single account method is quite effective. For example, you've got 2 phones (or a dual-SIM phone), hence you've got 2 different numbers. Now the reason you've got 2 different phones or a dual-SIM phone and 2 different numbers is because you need to have them. One might be for your personal use and the other one for your professional use. Now imagine if Whatsapp lets you access your accounts on two different phones using the same number. Every personal AND professional message you receive is present in the Whatsapp account in both the phones, which obviously beats your reason of getting two numbers/phones. On the other hand, Facebook messenger and Google hangout are social networking services. It's less initmate than Whatsapp. You can log in to your fb account or google account on someone else's phone but would you do that with your Whatsapp account as well, bringing all your messages to someone else's phone? Whatsapp being essentially SMS-type app, it needs its privacy. Hence I don't see it allowing sync across multiple devices, since the existence of multiple devices means you need them to have different circles of your contacts linked with the numbers of those devices.