WhatsApp Business app has over 3mn users: Facebook
San Francisco, April 26 : Over 3 million people are actively using WhatsApp Business app, says Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
He said this during the social media giant's Q1 2018 earnings call, the VentureBeat reported late on Wednesday.
WhatsApp Business, a standalone app separate from the other version of WhatsApp used by 1.5 billion people, was launched in January for Android users in six countries including India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Britain and the US.
WhatsApp Business competes with services like Apple's Business Chat and RCS messaging for Android and Facebook's own Messenger Platform, chat apps all built around connecting businesses with customers.
While WhatsApp Business is still being rolled out, conversational commerce through things like payments on Messenger will also be important to the social media giant, the report said.
"Over the next five years we're focused on building out the business ecosystems around our apps like Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger," Zuckerberg said.
"I think what you're going to start to see are people interacting with Pages that you follow, Pages on Facebook or Instagram.
"You see content from that Page, and you can click through to a message thread, and then you can either get customer support or complete a transaction or do a follow-on transaction, and that will be very valuable for businesses so we view the payment in that context, not as the goal but as something that's helping the business and the person succeed at having a transaction or doing what they're trying to do," Zuckerberg noted.
WhatsApp Business, available on Google Play Store, makes it easier for companies to connect with customers, and more convenient for its users to chat with businesses that matter to them.
The new app, which is yet to come on Apple App Store in India, asks for a separate phone number from the one users have for their individual WhatsApp account.
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Man runs over security guard with his SUV for objecting to his honking, held
New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI): A 24-year-old SUV driver "intentionally" ran over a security guard posted at Delhi airport’s terminal-3 after he objected to his honking, an official said on Monday.
The accused, identified as Vijay alias Lale, was arrested under attempt to murder charges, he said.
The incident took place on Sunday morning when Rajiv Kumar, working as a security guard, came to Mahipalpur by a cab. He got from the vehicle and was crossing the road to reach his home when Vijay, driving Mahindra Thar, starting blowing his horn loudly from behind, a senior police officer said.
Upon objecting, the accused threatened Rajiv that if he crosses the road he would crush him with his SUV, police said.
According to the CCTV camera footage, which surfaced online, the Thar driver was seen running over Kumar, dressed in security guard’s uniform with a baton, twice publicly.
Kumar suffered multiple crushed and fracture injuries over legs and ankle.
"Lale, a resident of Rangpuri, was arrested and the SUV allegedly used in the crime was seized," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Surendra Choudhary said in a statement.
An FIR was registered at Vasant Kunj South police station and an investigation was launched, said the DCP.
He said that the team examined footage from the crime scene and surrounding areas which helped them identify the offending vehicle's registration number. The footage showed the SUV hitting the victim, after which it fled from the spot.
They conducted an extensive search of CCTV footage at and around the vicinity of the scene of crime. The offending vehicle was identified through CCTV footage and the owner of the vehicle was traced.
"A notice was served under sections 133 of the Motor Vehicle Act to the owner of the vehicle. During investigation offender driver Lale (24) was arrested," he said, adding that further investigation is under progress.
A security guard was run over by a Thar SUV in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area after he asked the driver not to honk. The guard suffered multiple fractures. The entire incident was caught on #CCTV , and police have arrested the driver pic.twitter.com/jeifJhg1UZ
— Utkarsh Singh (@utkarshs88) May 5, 2025
