Messging App Platform

Messaging apps are apps and platforms that enable instant messaging. Many such apps have developed into broad platforms enabling status updates, chatbots, payments and conversational commerce (e-commerce via chat). They are normally centralised networks run by the servers of the platform's operators, unlike peer-to-peer protocols like XMPP.

Features Messaging Apps

Chat

Private chat allows private conversation with another person or a group. The privacy aspect can also be enhanced as applications have a timer feature, like Snapchat, where messages or conversations are automatically deleted once the time limit is reached. Public and group chat features allow users to communicate with multiple people at a time.

Calls

Many major messaging apps offer the call feature for user-to-user calls, conference calls, and voice messages. The call functionality is useful for professionals who utilize the application for work purposes and as a hands-free method.

Games

Some messaging applications include in-app games for entertainment. For example, the Facebook Messenger application has a built in option to play computer games with people in a chat, including games like Tetris and Blackjack.

Payments

Though a relatively new feature, peer-to-peer payments are available on major messaging platforms. This functionality allows individuals to use one application for both communication and financial tasks. The lack of a service fee also makes messaging apps advantageous to financial applications like Venmo or PayPal.[43] Major platforms such as Facebook messenger and WeChat already offer a payment feature, and this functionality is likely to become a standard amongst messaging apps competing in the market.

Encryption in Messenger App

Encryption is the primary method that messaging apps use to protect user’s data privacy and security. SMS messages are not encrypted, making them insecure, as the content of each SMS message is visible to mobile carriers and governments and can be intercepted by a third party. SMS messages also leak metadata, or information about the message that is not the message content itself, such as phone numbers of the sender and recipient, which can identify the people involved in the conversation.[44] SMS messages can also be spoofed and the sender of the message can be edited to impersonate another person. Messaging applications on the market that use encryption include Signal, WhatsApp, Wire and iMessage (which uses end-to-end encryption).[44] Applications that have been criticized for lacking or poor encryption methods include Telegram and Confide, as both are prone to error.