1. Messenger Wars
How Facebook lost
its lead

2. Facebook is the giant in
social networking but
WhatsApp has taken the lead
in social messaging on mobile

3. A survey of 3,759 Android and iOS smartphone owners
in the US, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia and China,
carried out by mobile market research company
On Device Research, reveals that Facebook Messenger
no longer leads in social messaging.

4. Top 3 social messaging apps on smartphones
Research data from the US, Brazil, South Africa, China and Indonesia shows
that Facebook Messenger leads only in the US.
46%
93%
35%
24%
46%
6%
Facebook WhatsApp
Messenger
Twitter
WeChat Sina Weibo
68%
47%
WhatsApp Facebook
Messenger
72%
49%
34%
BBM
43%
30%
WhatsApp Facebook
Messenger
Skype
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
Skype
37%
WhatsApp
36%
BBM
Line

5. The dominant way to stay in touch
Messaging apps aren’t just competing against each other.
They are challenging calling, texting and emailing on the phone.
Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
% of respondents
Average of 5 countries
86%
75%
73%
60%
63%
40%
31% 33%
17%
9%
6%
Social messaging
10+ times/day
28%
Voice calls
2-3 times/day
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
Per country charts can be found in the annex at the end of the presentation.
24% 24%
12%
7%
SMS
Once a day
Email
At least once/day combined

6. Visible differences between the US and China
Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
75%
72%
46%
71%
69%
44%
29%
29%
Social messaging apps
Voice calls
SMS
85%
81%
Email
79%
40%
61%
48%
Social messaging apps
Voice calls
More than 10 times a day
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=1406 in the US, n=544 in China, smartphone owners
Per country charts can be found in the annex at the end of the presentation.
41%
10%
SMS
Email
Daily

7. Two main reasons which drive people to use
multiple instant messaging apps
1. Different friends using different platforms is the
biggest reason – the network effect is a challenge all
messaging platforms need to overcome to grow.
2. Different apps for different features is a close
second.
Only 12% globally said they use different apps for
friends vs. for strangers (for dating, commerce etc.)

8. 58% use a variety of IM apps because their
friends are spread over different networks.
Q: Why do you use different messaging apps?
73%
58%
57%
52%
54% 55%
55%
62%
47%
42%
12% 10%
Global
13%
10%
US
50%
10% 8%
Brazil
8%
Indonesia
11%
15%
7%
South Africa
Different friends use different apps
Because of different features
One for people I don't know well, other(s) for friends/family
It used to be free, it's not any more
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
55%
12% 12%
China

9. Average number of
messaging apps installed?
4.2
4.1
2.6
Indonesia
South Africa
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
Brazil
2.4
China
2.1
US

10. Big differences country-to-country popularity of WeChat mostly driven by China
Q: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
BR
72%
ID
43%
US
35%
CH
93%
SA
68%
BR
49%
US
46%
CH
3%
WhatsApp
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
CH
9%
SA
47%
ID
23%
Facebook
US
6%
ID
20%
BR
5%
WeChat
SA
18%

11. WhatsApp is now the leader in
social messaging apps across the
5 markets covered
Q: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
44%
35%
28%
19%
WhatsApp
Facebook
Messenger
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
WeChat
Twitter
17%
16%
BBM
Skype

12. Even in the US, Facebook
Messenger is facing stiff competition
as WhatsApp gains popularity –
especially in the 16-24 age group
Q: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
40%
46%
37%
51%
50%
39%
33%
22%
16-24
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=1167, US smartphone owners
25-34
Facebook Messenger
35-44
WhatsApp
Over 45

13. d see a
We] di
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ifically
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yo
David Ebersman
CFO of Facebook
October 30, 2013
Source: Facebook earnings call, October 30, 2013

14. Only a quarter of smartphone users
in the US use both platforms actively
Q: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
45% use
31% use
24%
only
only
Facebook
WhatsApp
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=895, US smartphone owners who use Facebook and/or WhatsApp

15. WeChat spilling out of China
Line’s popularity outside of Japan is well known, our
research shows that WeChat is similarly being adopted
in new markets. WeChat crossed 100 million registered
users outside of China back in August 2013.
% of smartphone owners using weekly
20%
18%
6%
US
Source: On Device Research, November 2013, TechinAsia, August 2013
N=2524, US, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
Indonesia
South Africa

16. BBM shows significant popularity
in Indonesia and South Africa
Our survey excluded BlackBerry owners so people who
use this messenger have installed the BBM app which
was released 3 weeks prior to the survey.
Q6. Which of these messaging services do you use at least once a week?
% of smartphone owners using weekly
37%
34%
13%
US
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=2524, US, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
Indonesia
South Africa

17. 1.2 billion photos a day
Shared via just 4 services

18. CEO and founder of WhatsApp
Source: https://twitter.com/jankoum/status/394259718606053376, October 2013

19. More photos are now shared via Snapchat
than Facebook
Millions of photos shared a day
Instagram
55m
Facebook
350m
WeChat
400m
Snapchat
400m
Source: Company reports, November 2013

20. Snapchat with its self-destructive photos and
videos is a strong challenger despite a
relatively small user base
Q: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
In the 5 countries that we researched
only the 16-24 age group in the US
showed significant use of Snapchat.
16-24
20%
25 or
older
3%
Snapchat in the US
Source: On Device Research, November 2013, WSJ November, 2013
N=1167, US smartphone owners
According to Evan Spiegel, the CEO
of Snapchat, 70% of the services users
are women.

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Alistair Hill
CEO, On Device Research

22. Money in stickers
Line earned $27.4 million in
Q2/2013 from them
Source: The Next Web, August 2013

23. How do instant messengers make money?
• Stickers, e.g. $0.99 for a set of
16 in WeChat. Line makes
over $10 million a month this
way.
• Promoting other apps and
games that monetise via inapp purchases
• Subscription fees
Source: The Next Web, October 2013

24. Stickers are well known and actively used
by almost 40% of smartphone users
Q: Do you use stickers / emoji in messaging apps?
84%
Have used
74%
at least once
82%
69%
54%
46%
37%
35%
18%
US
24%
13%
Brazil
Use daily
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
43%
38%
Indonesia
Never used
18%
South Africa
Have used
13%
China

25. ress our
like to exp and
aniards
As Sp
ur bodies
s using o
stickers
feeling
sions the
ial expres
fac
ever stay
l. I can n
e very coo
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boyfrien
ry at my
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sticker.
e a cute
e sends m
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Marina Couso (29),
Line user from Spain
Source: Reuters, October 2013

26. Over 20% of sticker-users have purchased
paid stickers at least once
Q: Have you ever paid for stickers / emoji in messaging apps?
Have bought stickers at least once
11%
80%
Never
31%
19%
9%
Yes, once
More than once
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=2610, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
27%
14%
China
South Africa Indonesia
US
12%
Brazil

27. Want Excel tables
with the survey data?
Request from siim@ondeviceresearch.com
On Device Research uses the mobile
internet to gain access to consumer
opinions at any time, place or country.

28. On Device Research uses the mobile
internet to gain access to consumer
opinions at any time, place or country.
We have undertaken projects in
58 countries
Over 12 million people have taken one
of our surveys on their mobile

29. For more info:
ondeviceresearch.com
Siim Teller
siim@ondeviceresearch.com
@teller
Follow us:

30. Appendix

31. US
Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
75%
72%
71%
46%
69%
44%
35%
29%
29%
27%
21%
18%
8%
Social messaging apps
13%
11%
Voice calls
More than 10 times a day
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
6%
SMS
2-3 times a day
Email
Once a day
Daily

32. Brazil
Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
86%
71%
67%
66%
62%
40%
30%
24%
28% 26%
24%
15%
8%
4%
Social messaging apps
Voice calls
More than 10 times a day
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
12%
7%
SMS
2-3 times a day
Email
Once a day
Daily

33. Indonesia
Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
89%
83%
69%
63%
61%
48%
36%
30%
28%
24%
21%
13%
9%
7%
Social messaging apps
22%
Voice calls
More than 10 times a day
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
5%
SMS
2-3 times a day
Email
Once a day
Daily

34. South Africa
Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
94%
79%
75%
73%
65%
31%
13%
31%
29%
10%
2%
Social messaging apps
Voice calls
More than 10 times a day
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
11%
8%
SMS
2-3 times a day
Email
Once a day
Daily

35. China
Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
85%
81%
79%
61%
48%
40%
41%
31%
28%
18%
17%
7%
Social messaging apps
7%
5%
Voice calls
More than 10 times a day
Source: On Device Research, November 2013
N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
SMS
2-3 times a day
12%
10%
Email
Once a day
Daily