It is possible to share your location with the desired contact using WhatsApp. Not just your current location but you can also share your live location with your contacts if you are in transit for 15 minutes, 1 hour or 8 hours.

Audio And Video Calling

The popular chat app is not only limited to text messages. You can also have audio and video calls on WhatsApp with an unlimited time.

Listen To Audio Messages Discreetly

To listen to an audio message without earphones in public area you can simply bring your phone close to your ear while the audio message is being played. On doing this the audio volume will decrease and you can listen to it as if you are on a call.

End-to-End Encryption

All the conversations you have on WhatsApp are end-to-end encryption. This means that your messages are secure and no one can read or access it apart from you and the person you are communicating with. Even WhatsApp cannot look at your chats.

8. Reduce Data Usage For Calls

If you are running on a tight budget for internet data then WhatsApp allows you to decrease data usage for calls. Don’t bother about the quality of the call as it still remains good.

No Adds

WhatsApp doesn’t have any ads in the app. This makes the messaging experience pleasant.

Free Of Cost

You can use WhatsApp without spending a dime.

Availability

It is available for iOS, Android and Windows smartphones. Apart from that, WhatsApp also has a web version and Windows and Mac software. You will have no trouble whatsoever to use WhatsApp seamlessly across multiple devices.

WhatsApp did launch stories feature however you won’t find those entertaining Face filters available on Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook.

No Virtual Assistant

WhatsApp doesn’t have an inbuilt personal assistant like Hike which makes things pretty easy.

Self-Destructing Messages

There is no official WhatsApp feature that allows you to send self-destructing messages. However, there are ways to get around it.

WhatsApp Calling Limitation

WhatsApp calling feature is not available in all countries. So if you are looking for a calling functionality in a messaging app then this can be a huge setback.

File Size limit

You cannot send large video files that are more than 16MB and documents bigger than 100 MB with WhatsApp.

Contact Number Required

Unlike Snapchat or Facebook, you cannot contact a person on WhatsApp if you don’t have their cell phone number.

Needs Internet Connection

Though WhatsApp is free to use, you still need an active internet connection to send messages. For instance, during an emergency, if you want to send an urgent message to your contacts then you cannot do that unless you are connected to the internet.

Instagram allows users to edit and upload photos and short videos through a mobile app. Users can add a caption to each of their posts and use hashtags and location-based geotags to index these posts and make them searchable by other users within the app. Each post by a user appears on their followers' Instagram feeds and can also be viewed by the public when tagged using hashtags or geotags. Users also have the option of making their profile private so that only their followers can view their posts.

Instagram is all about sharing photos. From sharing your new haircut and dress to some new cuisine or location, there is nothing you can’t share with the world. And a large number of amazing filters makes it an even more beautiful experience. By applying a filter, you can add more charm or glamour to your photos. Although, don’t use them that much, let your photos be true in most cases.

Great For Travelers

Even though unintentionally, Instagram has emerged as a great hub for travelers. The geo-tagging feature works smoothly, allowing you to add the location of the pictures. Furthermore, you can see the other (public) photos shared by people who were at the same location.

Strict Privacy

Unlike other platforms, Instagram takes privacy very seriously. If you want your photos to remain private between your followers, then private they shall remain. There is no means to bypass privacy settings. Even the profile picture is private. Instagram also doesn’t allow the downloading of photos, though there are other means to do that.

Effective Features

Unlike Facebook (which gives a variety of useless features), Instagram is clear about what they should provide their users with. Apart from photo-sharing and filters, there is also the feature to share videos and live streams. You can also share stories, which would disappear after a day. Quite smartly, Instagram provides additional functionalities via other apps, like Boomerang and Photo Grid.

IGTV

When Instagram first enabled the users to share videos along with photos, the length of the video was restricted under 1 minute. But that changed with the introduction of Instagram TV or the IGTV. On IGTV, you can upload videos of any length you want, which is awesome. Moreover, because of this, the entertainment factor with Instagram just reached another level. Now, users are exposed to a plethora of video content on Instagram, like compilations of funny videos and even movie trailers. Surely with IGTV, Instagram has become so much more than just a platform to share photos.

Of course, we’ve already applauded for the fact that Instagram is one of the best social media platforms to promote yourself or your brand. That said, too much of anything is a curse, and that’s the same thing that’s happening with Instagram. Instagram has become a place where you are bombarded with too many advertisements or sponsored posts.

Apparently, from companies to individuals, everyone can promote themselves on Instagram by taking out some bucks out of there pocket. But that shouldn’t be a bad thing, right? Well, it is seen as a bad thing when you see an advertisement after every 4-5 of your friends’ posts.

Creates The Need For A Fake Life

The most negative phenomenon observed after the popularity of Instagram was the sudden surge of teenage celebs. People became famous overnight for something that went viral, garnering thousands of followers. This created a craving in everyone’s heart to become famous. So many people tend to create a fake life, which they share on Instagram to get famous. This need for validation and fame is highly toxic, and teenagers are the ones most affected by it.

Fewer Features On Web

If you have ever used the web version of Instagram, then you might have realized that it lacks many features. Instagram is keeping its users close to the app and not providing much access to the web version. However, Instagram is slowly rolling out the same features of the app on its official website, like stories and others. But we cannot expect all the features on the web soon.

Addictive

Another disadvantage is the addiction associated with Instagram. Like most social media platforms, Instagram suffers from toxic addiction. A huge number of people spend their days glued to the app. Even those who do not seek validation by uploading pictures spend their entire day viewing photos of others. In any scenario, this is a terrible waste of time.