WhatsApp Messenger for iOS

WhatsApp is a popular messenger for local, international, individual, and group messaging. With the latest update, WhatsApp offers free local and international voice calls.

Pros

Easy setup: Let WhatsApp sync with your Contacts so that you can connect with people in your address book and edit your contacts right in WhatsApp. Confirm your country code and phone number, and the app will send you a verification code. Enter your name and add a photo, or use your Facebook information to enroll. All your contacts will now appear.

More personal experience: WhatsApp is far more personalized than traditional texting. First, you get a more real-time IM experience, including status messages. By default your status is: "Hey there! I am using WhatsApp." There are 11 status options, such as Available, Busy, or At Work. Choose among 39 chat wallpapers to spruce up your chat page, or select a picture from Photos. You can see them in thumbnails and then preview in full-screen size before committing.

Easy functionality: Call a contact by pressing the writing or calling buttons, or use the writing icon to send a message. The camera button enables you to capture or send photos and videos directly from the chat page. And there's no need to log in to or out of the app.

Plenty of communication options: Press the up arrow, then Photo, and then tap to capture a picture or hold to record a video. With the latest WhatsApp update, you can share your location with 3D maps or share contacts with your other contacts. Press the camera button to take a picture or the microphone to record a greeting. You can also send and receive audio files -- not possible with Apple's Messages app.

Broadcast Lists: Send group messages with the Broadcast Lists feature. Create one for your family members, one for your coworkers, one for your poker friends, and so on.

Money-saving: Unlike texts, WhatsApp messages are free, even to international contacts.

Voice calling: In our tests we found the sound quality on WhatsApp no worse than traditional voice calling. You can call your international contacts for free.

Try before you buy: WhatsApp Messenger is free for an entire year. After that, it's just 99 cents per year.

Cons

WhatsApp required: You can chat only with contacts already on WhatsApp. The good news: It's easy to invite others to sign up -- you can message them via text, email, or social media, directly from the app.

Perspective Zoom On or Off: You can turn this wallpaper feature on or off, but we could never figure out what it meant.

Bottom Line

WhatsApp is an easy-to-use, feature-rich, and affordable messaging and voice-calling app that you should definitely download.