In 2024, you might be able to delete WhatsApp from your iPhone, thanks to a new feature in iOS 18 that could render the app obsolete.
When WhatsApp was released for the iPhone in 2009, it quickly gained popularity.
Free messages instead of expensive SMS? Yes, please!
Although the service is still widely used in Europe, the situation is different in the US, where people have already switched to other solutions.
In the US, unlimited texting packages have long been the norm, so there was little need for any app other than the built-in messaging app.
When Apple introduced iMessage in 2011 — the blue messages that appear when chatting with other iPhone users — there was even less reason to install an additional chat app.
But this led to some criticism.
Android users felt somewhat left out because iMessage was so widely used.
When exchanging messages between iPhone and Android, users still receive regular (green) SMS. As a result, features such as high-quality images, reactions, and iMessage stickers are lost.
Google, the developer of Android, has long been pushing Apple to adopt the new messaging standard RCS. This standard offers the same advantages as iMessage, even when exchanging messages between Android and iPhone.
Apple had long resisted this, as it would mean one less reason to buy an iPhone. But surprisingly, Apple has now given in.
WhatsApp Becomes Obsolete
Apple has announced that iPhones will support RCS starting in 2024. This will eliminate the need for an app like WhatsApp to message friends and family who don’t use an iPhone. Instead, you can use the built-in Messages app.
The advantage of the Messages app is that it’s available on all Apple devices: iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. WhatsApp, on the other hand, can only be downloaded as an app on iPhone and Mac.
You can also use Siri to send messages, making it easier to send messages hands-free — even in the car via CarPlay.
RCS on the iPhone: When Will It Be Available?
The exact date for RCS support on the iPhone is not yet known.
It will likely be introduced alongside the update to iOS 18, reports The Verge.
Regardless, you might consider deleting WhatsApp this year if your friends do too.
