Business accounts will allow them to set up automatic greetings, see statistics about their messaging and set up a profile page with hours of operation and other information, WhatsApp said. The accounts are aimed at businesses that receive a high volume of WhatsApp messages and need help keeping up, WhatsApp Chief Operating Officer Matt Idema said. Facebook bought WhatsApp, a pun on the phrase “What’s up?”, in 2014 for $19 billion, attracted by the size of its user base. WhatsApp competes in a crowded market that also includes Facebook’s Messenger application, Tencent Holdings Ltd’s (0700.HK) WeChat, and numerous other messaging services. WhatsApp, on its blog, said that, its business accounts would be available on Android only beginning on Thursday through a WhatsApp Business application in the Google Play store in Britain, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico and the United States.

Source: Pakistan Today January 19, 2018 11:15 UTC