Alec Hogg: WhatsApp opens doors for competitors

Having witnessed the collapse of seemingly impregnable Netscape, MySpace, Napster and Blackberry, I have a healthy respect for disruptive tech. In this sector, nothing can be taken for granted. Even for Gorilla – Jeff Bezos of Amazon never allows his colleagues to forget this (it's always "Day One" there). Ditto at Apple where founder Steve Jobs and successor Tim Cook personified the Silicon Valley credo that "only the paranoid survive"..___STEADY_PAYWALL___.Also read: Alec Hogg: Drawing inspiration from those around us.So the ripple effect of Whatsapp's new T&Cs should not be under-estimated. We've been warned that personal data will in future be transferrable between Whatsapp and its owner Facebook's other assets – FB itself and Instagram. Tech pundits tell us it's no big deal. I'm not so sure..In the past couple of days, the BizNews alert service on WhatsApp's competitor Telegram has grown significantly. There has not been a decline in the Whatsapp services for Premium subscribers, but the fact members of our community are even considering alternatives is bad news for the Zuckerberg crowd..Also read: Alec Hogg: Time we revisited Mandela's approach to democracy.Both Telegram and the Elon Musk-endorsed Signal are technically superior to Whatsapp in just about every way (see below). But until now they have lacked the all important "network effect" – ie benefits derived from other people also using the service. Judging by what we're now seeing, that may well be changing..Here's a comparison between the three messaging/phone apps – supplied by Premium member John Cunha with the source: https://fractionalciso.com/whatsapp-vs-signal-vs-telegram-security-in-2020/.TO LISTEN….Latest audio on BizNews Radio.…..(click on the link to access).Flash Briefing: WBHO Chinese buyer withdraws; SA oxygen scarcity Corruption-buster Paul O'Sullivan begins a war against dirty lawyers Starting a business on a R350pm social grant – Sonto Sithole's story Taking stock: Naspers, Prosus, Rebosis, Sasol – and a flying JSESARB eases excon for loop structures – but there's a catchInside Covid-19: How SA variant of the virus changes vaccine race.TO WATCH….Plenty to choose from on the BizNews TV channel on Youtube including….Nine things you can do to make 2021 a better year

Alec Hogg: WhatsApp opens doors for competitors

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