By: Daniel Echoda
Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement last week of rolling out “WhatsApp Channels,” his recent innovation, “globally and adding thousands of new channels that people can follow in WhatsApp” brings us to a long-standing pattern in tech, specifically regarding new features and platforms that often emerge with claims of innovation.
WhatsApp Channels, the newly launched feature in WhatsApp allows businesses and organizations to broadcast messages to subscribers who willingly opt in to receive updates. While it presents itself as an entirely new means of communication, it bears a resemblance to features found on platforms like Telegram and others. It is not an entirely new concept.
The same is the case for Instagram Threads, an earlier creation by the same Mark Zuckerberg, which positions itself as a fast and private messaging app designed for close friends. Due to its similarity to Elon Musk’s X (Twitter), there were speculations that Threads could potentially challenge X for quick, casual updates among friends. In fact, upon launching Threads, the Facebook CEO and his company Meta were charged for copyright infringement by Twitter.
Mark Zuckerberg has this track record of recognizing trends and adapting them to his platforms. Even Facebook has often been said to be inspired by the social scene at Harvard. WhatsApp Channels and Threads fit this pattern – they reflect the changes in consumer preferences and technological advances, rather than an introduction of entirely novel concepts.
This consistent pattern typical of most tech innovations is pointer to the fact that most of such creations are steps along established paths.
However, while such might not be groundbreaking innovations, they highlight the adaptability of tech giants. These platforms do more than merely borrowing ideas; they take existing concepts and carefully refine them to resonate with a broader audience.
While the question of whether WhatsApp Channels represents genuine innovation or follows is merely an imitation remains open, the newly-launched feature is a proof that in tech, the line between innovation and iteration is often blurred.
