Delayed mandatory privacy policy update by Facebook’s WhatsApp, to reportedly trigger questions from Indian parliamentary panel
News messaging
Signal Ramps Up Hiring After Surge – Report
Signal reportedly hiring more staff to cope with surge, as it and Telegram benefit from WhatsApp data policy update controversy
Signal Installations Surge Amid WhatsApp Data Concerns
Research shows installations of Signal messaging app approaching one million a day, amid concern over WhatsApp data policy update
Slack Starts 2021 With Outage
Rough start to the year for communication platform Slack, which is in the process of being acquired by CRM giant Salesforce
WhatsApp To Bring Voice, Video Calls To Web Version
Watch out Zoom! WhatsApp is reportedly deliver voice and video calling to WhatsApp Web, its desktop based offering
Google Chat Arrives For US Android Users
Android users in the United States can now access ‘Chat’, but a number of major US carriers have yet to allow RCS to connect to other users
WhatsApp Bug Can Wipe Out Group Chats, Warns Check Point
Devastating bug found by Check Point that can permanently destroy group chats within WhatsApp with just one text
Twitter Slowly Recovers After Global Outage
Global outage “just about fixed” but problems are still ongoing after significant disruption
Kik Messenger Developers To Close Popular Messaging App
Used by millions around the world, Kik Messenger is closing down as developers want to concentrate Kin cryptocurrency
AI Powered Mei Messaging App Arrives On iOS
Crush Analyser. Messaging app that includes an AI assistant to improve personal relationships, arrives on iOS
Bluetooth Messaging App Bridgefy Grows Amid Hong Kong Protests
Going offline. Protesters in Hong Kong are reportedly using a Bluetooth-based messaging app to communicate
Facebook Threads App To Take On Snapchat
Development of new Threats app to give social networking giant ability to ramp up pressure on Snapchat
Google Begins Rollout Of Chat – Android Rival To iMessage
Google bypasses carriers and will begin deploying iMessage rival for Android users in the UK and France
Slack Deepens Microsoft Office Integration
Users can now more easily access Outlook calendar events and emails and OneDrive files from within Slack
Encrypted Apps Used To Exchange Child Abuse Images – Report
Criminals increasingly utilising encrypted apps, rather than the dark web, to trade child abuse images
WhatsApp Restricts Message Forwarding, To Halt ‘Misinformation’
Facebook limits WhatsApp message forwarding to just five people, down from the previous 20
Facebook Simplifies Messenger App
Redesigned to make mobile app more streamlined with a simplified user interface
WhatsApp Fixes Video Call Flaw That Allowed Account Hijack
Facebook service fixes video call flaw that could allow hackers to hijack user accounts
Ofcom Study Reveals Extent Of Our Tech Addiction
Its good to talk? Not according to Ofcom study, as messaging apps overtake number of mobile calls
Google’s Android Messages Comes To The Desktop
A new web-based messaging system lets users keep up with SMS conversations through any browser
Verizon To Retire Yahoo Messenger
Out with the old…twenty years after it was first launched, Yahoo Messenger is to be retired in mid July
Russian Malware Compromises Telegram Chats
The TeleGrab malware steals chats from Telegram’s desktop application, which doesn’t support end-to-end encryption
Twitter Quietly Tests Encrypted Messaging
Hush hush at Twitter, as it secretly adds the ability to send encrypted direct messages on its Android app
Iran Begins To Block Telegram Messaging App
First Russia now Iran becomes latest country to begin blocking access to Telegram services
Google Launches ‘Chat’ App To Rival iMessage
Search engine looks to resolve messaging element for Android with the launch of its ‘Chat’ app
Russian Court Orders Ban On Telegram Messaging App
But will it work? Russian court orders telecom firms to block Telegram messaging app in Russia
WhatsApp Business Version Debuts On Android
WhatsApp Business promises to overhaul the experience for SMBs
Tales In Tech History: AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)
Long before Skype or WhatsApp achieved their domination, AIM was the pioneer of instant communications (IM)
Tales In Tech History: The SMS Text Message At 25
The text (or SMS) message was once more widely used than mobile phone calls, but its use in recent years has declined in favour of instant messaging
WhatsApp Code Hints At Future iPad Version
WhatsApp for iPad could arrive soon as Facebook continues push into business market