Global IM usage increases 12%; WhatsApp most popular in India: Survey

NEW DELHI: Instant messaging (IM) has seen a 12% increase in daily usage globally as more people opt for closed messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and WeChat, a new report by global research consultancy TNS Global says.

Three out of five Internet users in Asia Pacific are now using instant messaging every day, while four are using it on a weekly basis, according to the study, Connected Life, which mapped preferences of over 60,000 Internet users. Social platforms are still rising in popularity with a 6% uplift in daily usage globally since 2014.

Instant messaging has achieved high numbers of daily users across much of APAC, with 38% in India using an IM platform daily.

Facebook has maintained its position as the world's favourite social platform: almost one third of global internet users (30%) say they use it every day. Several APAC markets see far greater use, with 51% in India using Facebook daily.

"Apps like Snapchat, WeChat, Line and WhatsApp are sweeping up new users every day, particularly younger consumers who want to share experiences with a smaller, specific group, rather than using public, mainstream platforms like Facebook or Twitter," Joseph Webb, Global Director of Connected Life, said in a statement. "As people's online habits become ever more fragmented, brands need to tap into the growing popularity of IM and other emerging platforms."

WhatsApp is the most popular IM platform in India, TNS India executive director Parijat Chakraborty said. "The social networking market of India is Facebook-centric, which is fuelling the adoption of Facebook Messenger also as the IM platform for private messaging," he added.