Signal was previously promoted by Tesla's CEO Elon Musk! He said that it is more secured compared to WhatsApp, which previously updated its policy to allow Facebook to gather its user data.
YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA - JULY 24: Deni (L), plays Pokemon Go game on his smartphone on July 24, 2016 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. "Pokemon Go," which uses Google Maps and a smartphone has been a smash-hit in countries where it is available and already popular in Indonesia even though it has not been officially released. Indonesians have been downloading the game by using a proxy location which gives them access to app stores of other countries as security officials have voiced worries that the game could pose a security threat.
As of the moment encrypted-apps, specifically, Telegram and Signal, confirmed that they are experiencing massive surges in new users. CNET reported that the now-popular chatting app was downloaded almost 1.3 million times only on Monday, Jan. 11.
WhatsApp's competitor receives an average of 50,000 downloads every day even before Elon Musk posted his tweet.
Signal is now more popular than ever
One of the spokespersons of Signal confirmed the huge number of downloads the app is currently experiencing.
"Right now I can say that all those app-analytics firms severely under-report numbers from Signal because we don't have any trackers or analytics like other apps," he said via CNET.
TOKYO, JAPAN - FEBRUARY 13: A man wearing a face mask uses a smartphone as he walks on a bridge at night on February 13, 2020, in Tokyo, Japan. At least 219 passengers and crew on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship have tested positive for COVID-19 making it the biggest center of the virus outside China. Japan has also so far diagnosed 28 other people with the illness, some of whom are evacuees from Wuhan, and has announced measures to ban entry to foreign travelers from Zhejiang alongside an existing ban on non-Japanese nationals coming from Hubei.
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He also explained that Signal doesn't share its specific download numbers publicly. One of the main reasons that users are switching to Signal is because of WhatsApp's new policies, which were announced on Jan. 4.
Right now, Signal is the most downloaded iOS app in almost 70 countries. It is also the most popular Android app in more than 50 countries. The spokesperson added that Signal's current largest markets are West Africa, Brazil, and India.
How it started vs how it's going 😅 pic.twitter.com/ERiFpZUz6c
— Signal (@signalapp) January 14, 2021
As of the moment, Apple and Google haven't released any statement regarding Signal's download surges. Last Thursday, Jan. 14, the popular app took the top position of App Annie's list, as well as Google Play Store's chart for free apps.
Other alternatives for WhatsApp
Aside from Signal, there are also other alternatives that you can choose from. According to Toms Guide's latest report, many people are now switching to encrypted-messaging apps to protect their personal data. To help you further, here's the list of best WhatsApp alternatives.
- Signal
- iMessage
- Telegram
- Google Messages
Aside from these, there are also other paid apps that you can get for $10 every month. These include Viber, Wickr Me, and Threema.
For more news updates about Signal, WhatsApp, and other hot apps, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
Related Article: Signal App Security Setting: How to Make Safe Even Safer
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Written by: Giuliano de Leon.
