Privacy and security are essential parts of communication, whether formal or informal. Even when texting friends and family members, users want to know that their messages are secure and cannot be accessed by third parties, including the app’s developers. As the world is transforming into a global village, there is a much larger reliance on instant messaging, which is functional because it adds a sense of importance and urgency to the messages exchanged. In addition, instant messaging is a fantastic tool for virtual communication as remote work expands worldwide.
Today, several messaging apps have had to evolve their features because instant messaging alone is commonplace. For instance, while not created exclusively for instant messaging, many social media apps, including Instagram and Twitter, have a direct messaging (DM) feature where users can send and receive text and media. Now, messaging apps, adding several layers of security to instant messaging, offer users several features that surpass regular text and media communication. The following are four of the most secure messaging apps in 2024 and some of the other functions they offer.
1- Telegram
The Telegram app is a popular instant messaging platform available on multiple operating systems, including iOS and Android. The app comes with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that all communication is secure and cannot be intercepted by anyone, including Telegram. In addition, the app has several other features that make it an attractive option for communication and community building.
Telegram has channels, a powerful tool for businesses, content creators, and service providers. Anyone can create channels, require a subscription for access to certain content, and also send broadcast messages to an unlimited number of subscribing recipients. These features help businesses and content creators develop and maintain active communities, giving each user a sense of community.
Another available feature is online betting. Players can enjoy casino gaming via Telegram, sidestepping a lot of the verification and requirements of online casinos. Telegram casinos also provide players with the same level of security and encryption available on online gaming platforms. In addition, users enjoy inclusivity since, unlike most regulated platforms, access is not restricted to geographical locations.
Beyond Telegram’s instant messaging is the file sharing and storage feature. While several other instant messaging apps allow users to exchange files and media, Telegram takes it further by offering a cloud storage solution that lets users store files and share links to uploaded files. In addition to cloud storage, Telegram has a bot ecosystem that helps automate a wide range of tasks and functionalities. Users can use Telegram bots for everything from language translations to news updates.
Read Also: Top Lifestyle Apps for Android
2- Signal
Although less popular than Telegram, Signal has made a name for itself as one of the market’s most secure instant messaging options. Also end-to-end encrypted, Signal is available on desktop, Android, and iOS, with the developers continuously releasing new upgrades. Signal uses user phone numbers as identifiers and offers several other features, including chats that can send and receive texts, audio and video messages, photos, GIFs, documents, and several different types of media. Beyond instant messaging, Signal is an excellent way for users to send and receive files and multimedia, making it perfect for sharing photos or videos of you doing your new hobbies with friends.
Signal operates an open-source model, which serves as a form of scrutiny on its platform. This model ensures that the platform remains transparent, such that the community can audit its decisions and processes to ensure it remains accountable to customers. Furthermore, Signal prides itself on ensuring data privacy. In addition to keeping conversations confidential, the platform does not collect user data.
3- Viber
Viber is another popular instant messaging app that supports the exchange of text messages and multimedia communication. It also allows users to make and receive voice calls on the iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. As of 2018, there are more than 1 billion registered users on Viber.
Initially launched in 2010 by Viber Media, which Japanese multinational company Rakuten now owns, Viber offers users several other features besides instant messaging and voice calls. The app has a broad range of entertainment features, including stickers people can use to add color to their messaging. Also, Viber has extended its functionality to integrate shopping. Users can view and explore a wide range of products from the app and also make remote purchases. Launched in 2017, the shopping feature covers several items, including everything from fashion to electronics.
In addition to shopping, Rakuten Viber launched a new free business app to continue its strategy of creating a robust toolkit for businesses. The new app offers more than a few features, including allowing businesses to create public searchable business pages and allowing prospective customers to view all important business information quickly. The app also enables profile sharing within and outside the app. Furthermore, businesses can create product catalogs that let users directly ask questions about advertised products. The app also lets users create dedicated chats for private and professional functions, as a way to easily manage multiple projects. Viber said the motivation behind creating a business app came from the company recording a 26% rise in business accounts in 2023.
4- Wire
Popular for its prioritization of privacy and security, Wire is an instant messaging app that also employs end-to-end encryption to enhance security. Like most other options, Wire allows users to securely exchange files, including audio and video messages. In addition, Wire users can make and receive voice and video calls, all secured with end-to-end encryption.
A few other features position Wire as a comprehensive platform. For instance, users can collaborate in real time, using document sharing and editing features to create a quick work environment for working on the go. Users can also conduct video conferences from within the app to maintain a project schedule remotely. Like Signal, Wire adopts an open-source model that promotes community auditing and transparency.
The Future of Secure Communication
Today’s instant messaging apps have clearly evolved past the primary purpose of sending and receiving messages. According to research, the number of mobile instant messaging users has continuously increased annually, from 2.56 billion in 2019, to 3.32 billion in 2023. Projections suggest that this number will hit 3.51 billion by 2025.
While security is a paramount concern among the apps and services providers, developers have added features that not only enhance communication but also create more use cases for these apps. As technology advances, these apps and developers will continue securing personal conversations between users and expand their overall functions, slowly transforming into one-stop platforms for nearly all things digital.
