A WhatsApp-free world

Obviously, this scenario is hard to imagine for you, and if you can then definitely you don’t have a smartphone. This article is just about ifs and buts, because WhatsApp and other WhatsApp-like apps are here to stay!

Note: The usage of the word “WhatsApp” in this write up implies “WhatsApp and WhatsApp like applications”!

Imagine.

A pleasant morning, you wake up and as usual, the first thing you do after opening your eyes is check your phone for messages especially WhatsApp chats and realize the application took its last breath last night and has gone broken world-wide and you can no longer use its facilities. Well, although hard to digest eventually the feeling sinks in and you start thinking of all the implications and consequences of such a global catastrophe. Basically, you are back to the Stone Age!

SMS:

This is what I meant by Stone Age. First thing you realize is that you will be charged a rupee per SMS because SMS packs became extinct with the free messaging advent! After getting one, still it’s just not like WhatsApp! No live chats and no double tick marks!

Calling:

Live chats replaced calling to a certain extent. With no WhatsApp, you might just hear the voices of your best friends although you used to chat everyday! I’m fairly certain that many of the people you used to WhatsApp with, will no longer be in contact with you. It will be too expensive to be in touch with you. You might just realize the efforts a few friends may take to be in touch with you!

Bluetooth:

If it isn't a file up to 12 MB, I'm not sharing it - coz that's what WhatsApp permits me. Some of us might not realize this but now we just simply upload pictures and music on our WhatsApp groups rather than sending it to a friend via Bluetooth who then transfers it to another and then so on! So with WhatsApp not in the scene, Bluetooth will spring back to life! 

No more stalking (Not literally):

The curse of the "Last Seen at...". How do you know if your best friend is not sleeping? Your girlfriend/crush is chatting late night? How do you know your messages are being ignored? How do you know you can no longer WhatsApp someone coz they don’t have their internet pack? – “Last Seen”! Who hasn't tried dodging being "Seen" by their stalkers! At last they came up with a option to hide it!

Planning issues:

How about going for trek? Or dinner plan? - Make a group, add everyone and then we'll figure out the itinerary! With no group chatting, perhaps conference calls will resume, or a live meeting in real! The fun of chatting with 10s of people in all groups- School, College, Best friends etc will be sorely missed! There is always this one guy who is active in all the groups and just cannot shut up talking right! Also, your smaller group within your larger group for your exclusive plans- no more of this!

Conclusion:

WhatsApp is a luxury most of us are habitual and “not using it” while having a SmartPhone is inexcusable! It’s a boon in the form of socializing easily at your finger tips. It’s an integral part for some totally dependent on it. No doubt WhatsApp brings us closer to people far away but sometimes it creates a distance among the near ones! It's an excuse for not making phone calls now.

Just a friend's wall!

I was off WhatsApp for a couple of weeks and I was at the end of a lot of criticism for being "unsocial" while some assumed I didn’t have internet on my phone or those who knew, called me crazy for not using WhatsApp in spite of having net!

What was different was that I didn’t look at my phone and find a couple 100 messages unread on groups, the phone’s wasn't buzzing continuously, a dozen people refrained from contacting me since I was off a free messaging platform - trust me that's a relief and maybe well-chosen dozen did in fact take efforts to use non-WhatsApp means to reach me - trust me that's very comforting to know!

No matter how good android apps get, the traditional calling or rather “meeting” your friends can never and shouldn’t be replaced!

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