Tech Roundup: Is Telegram a threat to WhatsApp’s reign in Brazil?

You’re reading The Brazilian Report’s weekly tech roundup, a digest of the most important news on technology and innovation in Brazil. This week’s topics: the escalating war between Telegram and WhatsApp; moves in the fintech sector; the push for dropping payroll taxes on ICT firms.

Telegram is stealing WhatsApp’s thunder in Brazil

Russian cloud-based messaging app Telegram used to be a “just-in-case” app for Brazilians, downloaded only when courts would temporarily block Facebook-owned WhatsApp Messenger. However, Telegram is now the app with the fastest-growing popularity among smartphone users, according to a new poll by website Mobile Time and pollster Opinion Box.

• Twelve months ago, Telegram was present only on 19 percent of  Brazilian smartphones. Now, it has been downloaded on 35 percent of devices.
• Data from market research firm 42matters corroborates these findings. It places Telegram as the second most-downloaded communication app on Google Play (up two positions). It ranks in the fourth position among social-networking apps on Apple.

Niche. Telegram is more popular among men, people aged between 30 and 49, and wealthier Brazilians.

• Telegram is making strides among financiers, with multiple channels being used to debate marketing trends. A channel belonging to InfoMoney, a finance website belonging to brokerage firm XP, has over 130,000 members.
• Unlike WhatsApp, Telegram users are not too keen on interacting with brands or making purchases through the app.

Channeling attention. Telegram channels — similar to WhatsApp groups — are its most popular feature. “Limits on forwarding messages imposed by WhatsApp may be attracting users to Telegram, due to the app’s flexibility.”

• Earlier this year, Whatsapp restricted forwarding messages to more than one contact, in an attempt to limit the spread of disinformation.

By the way … 76 percent of WhatsApp users believe the app should share personal data belonging to people who spread disinformation with authorities — something that goes against...