Big Technology
Predicting the Future of Messaging With WhatsApp Head Will Cathcart
What happens next with the 2 billion-plus user messaging app, and the company that runs it
When WhatsApp head Will Cathcart dialed into our call last Friday, his 2 billion user slice of the Facebook empire was in the thick of it, as usual. WhatsApp had just weathered a bungled privacy update that sent panicked users to Signal and Telegram. It was scrambling to make sense of a new Indian law that might force it to break encryption. And it was preparing to roll out desktop voice and video calling — which it introduced today.
Cathcart took questions on a variety of topics. And through winks and nods, he indicated where his app — and Facebook — are headed. In this week’s newsletter, I’ll share some of Cathcart’s perspective on the crucial issues facing WhatsApp, and my predictions on where things will go based on his responses.
You can listen to our full conversation on Big Technology Podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Overcast.
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