How to Develop an Android App like WhatsApp

What is WhatsApp? I think that I don't need to tell you what it is, right? Most of us know that it is a popular messaging app that proffers out-of-the-box features.

In this modern era, nobody can imagine their everyday life without a messaging app like WhatsApp; this is the primary reason why day to day the usage of WhatsApp like apps is rising worldwide. 

Due to the increasing consumption of such messaging apps, many startups, SMEs, and big enterprises are focusing on building WhatsApp like Android apps.

Why Is WhatsApp a Success and How Can You Make a Replica of it?

WhatsApp's success includes the app's simplicity, ease of use, advanced features, and contact discovery; these parameters made it super smooth. Later, it gradually replaced SMS. 

Statista stated that in 2019, 68.1 million US mobile phone users operated WhatsApp to communicate; the number of WhatsApp users in the US is predicted to grow to 85.8 million in 2023.

Let's move further and focus on developing WhatsApp-like Android apps. To create a unique android app like WhatsApp, you should first focus on market needs and trending features. 

We all know that WhatsApp is a popular app, and making a replica is simple but making it as popular as WhatsApp might be extremely difficult. This can be possible, though, you just need to take innovative steps.  

5 Innovative Steps to Develop an App like WhatsApp

If you want to achieve success by building an Android app like WhatsApp, then I will suggest you follow each step mentioned below:

Step 1: Analyze Market need

Step 2: Select the app module which suits your business

Step 3: Choose Trending & Must-Have WhatsApp Features

Step 4: Select App Design

Step 5:  Hire Android App Developers to develop an app like WhatsApp

Let's begin the process of developing WhatsApp-like Android App

1. Analyze Market Need

Source: Google

In order to develop a leading Android messaging app, it is crucial to analyze the current market. This will help you predict the present, past, and future needs of the market, and by doing so, you will be able to introduce features and other functionalities as per the current market demand. 

Not only this, but it will help you frame the unique Android app idea as per the user and market requirement. For analyzing the market need, you can consider the following points:

1. Determine the purpose of developing an app
2. Examine industry's outlook
3. Pinpoint target customers
4. Compare your competition
5. Gather additional data
6. Analyze your findings
7. Put your analysis into action

These pointers will be sufficient to examine the market need. Let's move further and focus on other steps for building a robust Android app like WhatsApp.

2. Select the App Module Which Suits Your Business

For developing the mobile app or other software, it is crucial to identify the business needs and requirements; this helps in developing the application that meets your business demand. Like here, we are talking about building a WhatsApp-like app; then, this app should contain one Login panel, main screen, privacy policy screen, contact section, and more.

Sometimes we choose the app module, wireframe, which is totally different from the business and app functionalities; I will suggest you not do this as this will bring your app to another track which will not suit your business, and I think this will be not beneficial for your business. 

Choosing the simple app module will help you to develop a user-friendly Android app like WhatsApp.

3. Choose Trending and Must-Have WhatsApp Features

Source: Google

Before starting to work on the development process, you should choose app features, this saves time and helps you explain the app guidelines to the offshore android app developers.

On the basis of market analysis, you should choose the trending features for your WhatsApp-like the android app. Like nowadays, AI, ML, and chatbots technologies are trending, so you can also introduce features oriented with trending technologies. 

Apart from this, I will suggest you observe the other famous messaging apps like Hike, Telegram, Messenger, Viber, Line, IMO, WeChat. You can also choose other famous features of the different messaging apps and introduce the same in your WhatsApp-like Android app.

Now let's focus on WhatsApp features. If you are making a replica of WhatsApp, then it is mandatory to introduce WhatsApp's latest features, namely;

• Animated stickers,
• Dark mode,
• Video calls,
• Group video call,
• Status updates,
• Login & registration page,
• and more.

4. Select App Design

Source: Google

Once after selecting the features for your WhatsApp like Android app, select the design, this will help you in explaining the app design to the Android app developers. Always choose an attractive and simple UI/UX design for your android app, this helps in attracting users and also makes your app attractive.

5. Hire Android App Developers to Develop an App Like WhatsApp

After selecting the mobile app design, search for a reliable and top-level Android app development company to hire Android App Developers. Now you might be wondering why hire developers for building an Android app like WhatsApp?

By hiring the developers and getting the help of experienced developers, you will have support building a leading app like WhatsApp. Skilled developers know which cross-platform technologies will best suit the making of Android apps like WhatsApp. 

While researching the factors related to Android apps, I found that mobile app developers generally prefer to use Flutter, Java, Swift, and React Native technologies to develop leading mobile apps like WhatsApp.

Why do you think just following innovative steps will help you make your app popular?

Well, I don't think so. I think that along with taking innovative steps to develop android apps like WhatsApp, you should also focus on digital marketing activities like SEO, SEM, SMM, and more.

Famous WhatsApp Features Which You Must Include in Your Messaging App

Source: Google

Here I have mentioned a few popular features of WhatsApp. In order to build an android app like WhatsApp, you should include the below-mentioned features. 

1. Texts: This feature allows you to send and receive messages. On WhatsApp, it doesn't charge any penny to send the messages.
2. Group Chat: It allows users to build a WhatsApp group to add your friends and family members in one place. On a group chat, users can share photos, videos, and messages with up to 256 personalities at once.
3. Voice and Video Call: Users can do voice and video calls.
4. AutoCorrect: This feature autocorrects wrong spelling and also suggests the correct words.
5. Photo Editing: Now, the app enables you to edit the photos as it holds several photo editing options.
6. Sharing: This feature allows users to share the doc, URL, contact, images, videos, GIF, and live location with friends.
7. Share Story: Like Instagram and Facebook, you can share stories.
8. Unlock With Fingerprint: By using this feature, you can unlock the app.
9. Security: In an app, multiple security features are available; some of them are: hiding last seen, limiting the audience, choose to whom you want to show your profile pic, delete messages, About info and Status.
10. Pin or Hide Conversation: You are able to pin and hide conversations.
11. Save Data and Storage Space: Allows you to save and store data.

Conclusion

A popular and superior mobile app can increase business productivity to a significant extent; the innovative steps stated here will help you develop a leading Android app like WhatsApp. But for that, you have to plan things accordingly.

If you are also thinking of building a messaging app like WhatsApp, I will suggest you hire Android App developers from a recognized and proven Android app development company. This will support you in producing a unique app and meet YOUR business goals.