Communications

Recently people tend to turn towards online rather than traditional communication due to its many advantages like easy access and flexibility. Communication has undoubtedly been a major reason to go online. Internet usage has been helping billions of people stay connected despite geographical or social circumstances. Parents with children studying abroad, siblings living in different parts of the world, and even people in long-distance relationships keep in touch thanks to technology.

Online communication comes in different types: from social media to messenger platforms such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, to video call platforms like Skype. WhatsApp is by far, the most used messenger every month in the world, and more than four million messages are being sent through the platform. Despite the newer and more modern communication platforms, e-mails have remained a leading activity conducted online, followed by looking up information, and internet banking.

Market size

Messenger users

Most used messenger by brand in the U.S. as of September 2023

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Further details: Visit original statistic Most used messenger by brand in the U.S. as of September 2023

Facebook Messenger is the most used messenger platform among Americans, with 82 percent stating to be using it regularly. Facetime, Snapchat, and WhatsApp followed in the ranking. WhatsApp is consistently attracting more and more active users, presenting a penetration of over 96 percent in Brazil. On the other hand, instant messengers like Viber seem to plateau.

Facebook Messenger
WhatsApp users by country
WhatsApp Business average revenue per global user

Market segments

Communication types

Number of sent and received e-mails per day worldwide from 2017 to 2026 (in billions)

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Further details: Visit original statistic Number of sent and received e-mails per day worldwide from 2017 to 2026 (in billions)

Different online communication platforms provide different services. Messengers like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp attract users with quick communication that is very similar to a face-to-face one, whereas video-based platforms like Zoom are preferred for a more visual experience. E-mails do not necessarily follow those criteria of easy or instant communication, but are nevertheless widely used. Almost 350 billion e-mails were forecasted to be sent each day in 2023.

WhatsApp
Global visits to Zoom.com

Industry leaders

Traditional e-mails vs video calls

Number of e-mail users worldwide from 2017 to 2026 (in millions)

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Further details: Visit original statistic Number of e-mail users worldwide from 2017 to 2026 (in millions)

E-mails first came into use in the 1960s. The messages have evolved since then and generated increasing user numbers, which are projected to surpass 4.5 billions by 2025. Unlike e-mails, Zoom provides more interactive communication and specializes in video calls. It was launched in 2011 and the number of users skyrocketed over the years, especially due to the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Other popular voice and video communication platforms include Discord and Microsoft Teams.

Mobile messengers
Number of e-mails
Leading smartphone users activities worldwide

Industry trends

Zoom & Microsoft Teams

Zoom Video Communications meetings worldwide from 2nd quarter 2020 to 3rd quarter 2021 (in billions)

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Further details: Visit original statistic Zoom Video Communications meetings worldwide from 2nd quarter 2020 to 3rd quarter 2021 (in billions)

With the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in 2020, leading to people being working and studying from home, platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams thrived. Daily Zoom usage peaked in March 2020. Millions of video calls are going through each minute spent on media all over the world. In 2021, Zoom recorded around 3000 billion meetings worldwide.

Zoom's revenue
Daily active users of Microsoft Teams

State of the industry

  • Mobile messenger and communication apps
  • Facebook Messenger
  • Mobile app usage
  • Mobile app usage in India
  • Snapchat
  • Discord
  • Mobile apps in China

Industry Definition

The communications category contains a wide range of statistics on the ever-expanding online communications market. In this section, users will find an overview of the most popular online communication tools, up-to-date information on online messaging volumes, and survey data on online user behavior and communication habits.

Statista offers comprehensive data on leading online communication services and social networks. The platform also provides detailed reports, user numbers, and revenue figures for the most popular messaging apps worldwide. These figures are complemented with insights into the use of voice messages, video calls, and other relevant trends and technologies transforming the digital communications landscape.

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