Telegram is independent—who disagrees? I deleted WhatsApp the day Facebook announced its acquisition. Is Pavel Durov a mole? I don't know. In 2014, I searched the internet for "open alternatives to WhatsApp." In 2010, I got on it when they released a Nokia Symbian S60 version for my Nokia Eseries. This was before there was an Android version. Back then, the battle was between BlackBerry users and their BBM PINs, SMS, and everything else. It seemed like the whole world had a BlackBerry, similar to how it now seems like the whole world is on WhatsApp. Well, we know how that story has ended. I feel that next year, WhatsApp and Instagram will not be so relevant, but it won't be for privacy reasons; it will be due to fatigue and maybe openness with other apps, platforms, and experiences forced by Europe. The scarcity hype of iMessage will not be as relevant, and messaging will become a verb. However, in WhatsApp/Meta's attempt to reinvent themselves or steal more ideas, they will fail and lose favor with most of the world for a myriad of hyperlocal options that still work just like mobile operators do all over the world today. Somehow, I think Telegram will survive if they remain weird and original but they will remain the "other" app with hundreds of others which will replace Whatsapp all over the world. I predict this will start January 20, 2025