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Since Facebook bought Whatsapp, I'm looking for an alternative app and chat network which is able to replace their functionality. What can you recommend?
Requirements:
Are there any alternatives available?
As a protocol, XMPP (formerly known as Jabber) would fulfill a lot of these requirements (Possibly because WhatsApp is using XMPP on the backend)
It is massively extendible, so I'm picking a specific client that covers a lot of these requirements. Its impossible to cover all since things like being able to pick a contact on your address book is because whatsapp simply uses a phone number as a username.
Other than video and group chat, any jabber client with OTR would do - I'd recommend chatsecure - it does seem to do multi user chat (though not chatrooms) without OTR, and runs on your two target platforms (and you can use pidgin or kopete on the desktop side for OTR conversations).
Its free, can send photos and videos the usual way and does everything but search contacts in address book of the phone.
Video would be covered by jingle, but I can't seem to find a good, well recommended android client outside the old obsolete google talk.
Apparently over 1.8 million people joined it yesterday 22/02/2014
Also:
At present there is currently a contest running until March 1st 2014 I believe:
$200,000 to the hacker who can break Telegram.
EDIT:
Articles of Interest:
Other Apps that may interest you include:
I recently started using Jitsi and it seems to offer what you are looking for. You can read about their use of OTR (off the record) here.
Let's see how it stacks up against your criteria:
I use it on my Windows, Mac, and Android phone but I don't think it supports the iPhone (which might mean it does not work for you).
I use KakaoTalk (free). It has all the features you required except end-to-end encryption and personally I like that it's available on Windows and Mac.
It's the main instant message application in South Korea:
KakaoTalk reached 57 million users registered on August 2012. On average, 24 million users are estimated to be using the app on a daily basis and over 3.4 billion messages are sent every day.
Take a look at Kontalk. (Community-driven messaging ; A new way of communicating)
Information:
Kontalk is a secure instant messenger, allowing you to send and receive text, image and voice messages (other file types coming soon) to and from other Kontalk users completely free of charge (*).
- Your phone number is your ID. No usernames or passwords
- It automatically finds other Kontalk users by looking at your address book, making it even easier to start chatting on Kontalk with your friends
- End-to-end encryption ensures safe and private conversations, so that only you and the person you are talking to can read them
- Your and all phone numbers used on the network are irreversibly encrypted
- It supports multiple devices, making it very easy to start chatting on your phone and continue the conversation on your tablet
- Based on open standards: XMPP and OpenPGP
Available on:
The main benefit and characteristic is that it respects your freedom!
License: GPLv3.
This answer is waaay late, but I can't believe anyone hasn't mentioned it!
Your Requirements:
Extra features:
BBM® is the best way to connect and share instant messages, pictures and more for free, in real time—all with speed, control and privacy.
Have real conversations with friends on iPhone, Android™, Windows® Phone and BlackBerry®. And know when your messages are delivered and read. Plus, you can personalize with a profile pic, stickers and emoticons galore.
There’s nothing like having a face-to-face conversation to express yourself. Switch your BBM™ chat to a BBM™ Video conversation with just a tap .You can even share the view from your camera, or what’s on your screen.
Korean developed and Japan based Line is the number one, feature laden, client in SE Asia these days, particularly in Thailand. Hardly anyone uses Whatsapp over here these days, especially since Facebook took over. Line is available for most platforms (Windows, OS X, iOS, Android), apart from Symbian and Linux, so no good for a Nokia N8 (which is what I currently have):
Easy to use interface, and free to use and free of ads. Plenty of downloadable emoticons, emojis, games etc. It's becoming a bit of a platform in it's own right.
Fits all of your requirements, except end-to-end encryption. I used it a lot when I had an iDevice, a good fun comms app. Totally recommend.
China's Wechat is another big messaging app over here too. And it is available for the N8.
However, Line and Wechat are not end-to-end encrypted messengers. For that, you are best off with the Swiss Threema (very big in Germany, again especially since Facebook ate Whatsapp) or one of the previously mentioned Telegram, RedPhone, TextSecure and Surespot. Threema I like a lot, as it has many of Whatsapp's features. No video calls though, although you can send video.
Obviously, your end choice of app will also depend on which platform your colleagues and friends are using, or are willing to switch to. Probably best to go for a bit of a mix. But my votes go to Telegram, Threema and Line.
We use 256-bit AES encryption for transmitting App to Server. In Enterprise edition it is available full end-to-end encryption.
