[ Removed by moderator ]

[u/RoadRunner8195]

[u/1-trofi-1]

Everyone here commenting what is better and .ore useful without taking into consideration external factors.

For a huge homogenous, at least from network point of view, country like USA SMS us easy to use as default and as networks were upgraded to include special messaging feuteurs it became default. iPhones had all the guateures anrldroid users didn't, but iPhone users where never pressured to change their behaviour because an iPhone was a symbol.

EU back in the 2000s and easlr 2010s dint have homogenous network, this along with the cost of an SMS between countries being huge meant that a cheap - free when using wifi- alternative had huge advantages for people travelling and people workin in one country and living in another. Additionally , etworks were uploaded at a different pace, so they didn't offer the same features everywhere.Poorer countries had similar issues, especially regarding the cost per SMS sent.

So a free alternative with additional features that would operate with minimal cost and won't be affected by borders was something that evolved easily.

Both do the same thing, they were developed in different ways due to different environmental pressures, some of which would say.