WhatsApp on iOS could soon start showing ads to users

by Joshua Swingle / Sep 28, 2018, 4:37 PM

WhatsApp on iOS could soon start showing ads to users

Earlier this week, WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton opened up about why he chose to leave Facebook a year ago. While speaking about this, he revealed that Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg actually had plans to implement ads before even acquiring the messaging app and now, nearly five years after the acquisition was made, it seems as though these implementations are right around the corner.

According to WABetaInfo, who has a history of providing accurate information about upcoming WhatsApp features, the popular messaging platform is already working on bringing ads to the iOS version of its app. These will replicate those seen through Instagram’s Stories by appearing within the WhatsApp Status. What remains unclear at this point, however, is if these ads will be targeted. After all, WhatsApp messages are encrypted, which means Facebook cannot use them to mine data on users. However, the company could choose to associate phone numbers with Facebook profiles. This would allow the social media giant to place targeted ads based on user activities within other apps.

As this particular feature is still in the testing phase, it may still be quite a while before iPhone users start seeing them. As soon as they are implemented, though, it’s only a matter of time before the feature arrives on Android devices.

source: WABetaInfo

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20 Comments

1. shaineql

Posts: 520; Member since: Apr 28, 2014

Remember when Facebook bought it and they said it would never display ads?

posted on Sep 28, 2018, 4:40 PM 0

7. gdawilson

Posts: 285; Member since: Jul 21, 2014

I don't remember that

posted on Sep 28, 2018, 6:00 PM 0

2. Valdomero

Posts: 635; Member since: Nov 13, 2012

Hell NO! The second they do that I'll swith messaging app. BBM, Telegram seems to be good options now...

posted on Sep 28, 2018, 4:53 PM 1

3. sirohunter

Posts: 188; Member since: Sep 23, 2017

NOOOOOO what a POS these facebook ppl are! I wish all of the people would stop using the app but that won't happen :/ So sad that even small things like a messaging app comes down to money. Too bad the creator sold the app to fb but oh well. cheers!

posted on Sep 28, 2018, 5:00 PM 2

4. jove39

Posts: 2137; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

Well...Facebook can’t continue to offer service for free...forever. Once WhatsApp starts ads...people are gonna jump ship to other apps. Google may have real shot to revive their ailing pair of messaging apps (Duo/Allo).

posted on Sep 28, 2018, 5:33 PM 1

16. Tziggy14

Posts: 622; Member since: Sep 02, 2014

Not gonna happen. WhatsApp is too ubiquitous in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa for people to quit.

posted on Sep 29, 2018, 9:44 AM 2

17. Tziggy14

posted on Sep 29, 2018, 9:44 AM 0

5. hopper

Posts: 66; Member since: May 08, 2017

What about people who purchased the app on iOS in early days. Can they sue them if ads display

posted on Sep 28, 2018, 5:47 PM 2

6. gdawilson

Sue them for what?

18. T12RYK

Posts: 849; Member since: Jun 10, 2011

When you first purchased the app, it explicitly said that buyers would have WhatsApp free for life and that they would NEVER display ads. (They actually did use the word never)

posted on Oct 01, 2018, 2:50 AM 0

8. MarvzIsFallen

Posts: 646; Member since: Aug 11, 2017

I hate ads. That’s why I love apple’s native apps. I’m into subscription and buys an app because I fckuing hate ads...google and Facebook are no exemptions

posted on Sep 28, 2018, 6:42 PM 1

9. LEEDAQ

Posts: 155; Member since: Aug 07, 2018

just don't update lol

posted on Sep 28, 2018, 6:49 PM 0

10. andynaija

Posts: 1247; Member since: Sep 08, 2012

Each version of WhatsApp expires after some time, so eventually it'll have to be updated.

posted on Sep 28, 2018, 6:58 PM 0

15. joshuaswingle

Posts: 413; Member since: Apr 03, 2018

It'll probably come as a server-side update, so it'll be unavoidable. But personally I don't care about it at the moment. I never use WhatsApp Status and I use Android

posted on Sep 29, 2018, 4:29 AM 0

11. KingSam

Posts: 1346; Member since: Mar 13, 2016

Too bad most of my contacts don't use iMessage.

posted on Sep 28, 2018, 7:50 PM 1

13. zelas

Posts: 41; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

IMessage/FaceTime is the best

posted on Sep 29, 2018, 1:48 AM 1

19. T12RYK

Same, iMessage is great but not many people I know use it.

posted on Oct 01, 2018, 2:57 AM 0

12. KIANO

Posts: 91; Member since: Feb 13, 2011

Ads on WhatsApp? What a great news for Telegram and other messaging apps; Expect to receive some exodus from WhatsApp. Sadly, soon to be "gone the good times/stuffs" for WhatsApp.