P3te Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 interest in facebook is finally waning. I had also assumed interest in facebook was waning, so i checked the figures. It must just be in the UK that its declining. it's everywhere. Kids (and I mean the 11-15 age group) just aren't buying into it the way the ones before them did, while older users are either just using it for the sake of keeping up to date with people or moving away from it altogether. What's inflating the figures are the non-tech savvy newcomers to the internet world who have been hearing they need to be "on the Facebook" and are signing up and going through the initial stages of membership. Numbers might be increasing, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Facebook, like Twitter, is in big trouble with regards to the medium term future. They both know it too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Meaningless unless you define "monthly active users". When facebook was busy, I bet they published stats of active users per hour. All apps and social media use the same definition - MAU = monthly active users = each unique person who logs in at least once during a month. A lesser used stat is DAU = Daily active users = each unique person who logs in at least once during the day. i'll see if i can find stats for DAU for facebook (though going wildly off-topic here!) edit: DAU numbers i could find: Sep 13 - 728m Jan 14 - 757m Mar 14 - 802m Edited June 12, 2014 by ender4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted June 12, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2014 They'll rename it to "parentbook" Or Moanbook, or Politicbook.... All my facebook feed seems to be about is people either moaning about their lives or moaning about the government... Borebook would be a better name, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) it's everywhere. Kids (and I mean the 11-15 age group) just aren't buying into it the way the ones before them did, while older users are either just using it for the sake of keeping up to date with people or moving away from it altogether. What's inflating the figures are the non-tech savvy newcomers to the internet world who have been hearing they need to be "on the Facebook" and are signing up and going through the initial stages of membership. Numbers might be increasing, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Facebook, like Twitter, is in big trouble with regards to the medium term future. They both know it too I agree that people aren't buying into it as they did (i'm one of those that loved it, and now have virtually no interest in using it), but i don't think they're in trouble in the medium-term. 5 billion people still haven't discovered FB, plus its become part of the fabric, so how else will you keep in touch with people when everyone is on FB. the other thing is that Facebook owns Whatsapp (which has 500mill users itself), and eventually it'lll all become integrated. Whatsapp has a subscription fee as well. then things like Oculus Rift and other stuff will drive FB further. FB in 5 years may not be anything like the current FB, but i think it'll be there bigger than ever, but having a differing function (as well having the base of the current functions). Edited June 12, 2014 by ender4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Well when I say Facebook and Twitter are in trouble, I'm not referring to the companies, they're both investing in a lot of properties and will be okay, but their actual origin sites are going to need MAJOR evolution to stay relevant - I'm not sure they necessarily can, I think they'll become little more than portals for their acquisitions. Though that's hardly a bad thing given the fact that they'll still get massive, massive traffic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Well when I say Facebook and Twitter are in trouble, I'm not referring to the companies, they're both investing in a lot of properties and will be okay, but their actual origin sites are going to need MAJOR evolution to stay relevant - I'm not sure they necessarily can, I think they'll become little more than portals for their acquisitions. Though that's hardly a bad thing given the fact that they'll still get massive, massive traffic Look at how much its changed in 5 years already. i remember when the only thing you did on FB was to 'poke' a friend, write hello on their wall, or send them a pixel icon of a cake/present on their birthday. That was it - no photos, videos, etc. I'm sure they already have plans how it will evolve in the next 5 years, without just purely being a portal for their other acquisitions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted June 12, 2014 Administrator Share Posted June 12, 2014 I barely use facebook now. I'd probably have deleted my account if it wasn't for VT using it. I don't use it to keep in contact with people any more. I'm not back in contact with anyone I knew in the past because of it. I doubt I'm the only one who feels like this. Does WhatsApp do everything Hangouts does? Genuine question; I've not used WhatsApp. It'll be good if Oculus is helped by being owned by facebook, but improving things hasn't been their forté up until now. Perhaps this will be different, or perhaps they'll put money in at arms length until it's ready. It's hard to see how it'll help to view baby pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Does WhatsApp do everything Hangouts does? Genuine question; I've not used WhatsApp. I don't use Hangouts, but i think they basically do the same thing. The difference being that Whatsapp got critical mass first, so everyone else now has to use it because everyone they know uses it. Oh, and you have to pay $1 a year after your free 1 year trial. When i started using it 3 years ago, only a few close friends were using it, now everybody i know uses it (including my parents, uncles, aunts, work people). 500million + people using it and increasing daily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted June 12, 2014 Administrator Share Posted June 12, 2014 Can it do multi way video calls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Can it do multi way video calls? Is that like a group video call? If so, then no it can't. To be honest, its not really for people who want to make video calls anyway, its mainly for the younger market who don't call/video/text/email people anymore. Its all about chatting in groups in real-time, and being simple enough to type under a desk at college or on the side of your desk at work. It has lots and lots of smileys and animals and pics for every occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted June 12, 2014 Administrator Share Posted June 12, 2014 I used hangouts for group chats. I'm not sure I've ever been asked to join WhatsApp. I must be too old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I used hangouts for group chats. I'm not sure I've ever been asked to join WhatsApp. I must be too old. though like Facebook, its crept up the generational chain over the last year or so, and now parents and everyone uses it. This is a really good explanation of Whatsapp and its rivalry with Facebook (before it got bought by facebook) http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/10/teenagers-messenger-apps-facebook-exodus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted June 13, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted June 13, 2014 The problem with Hangouts is that nobody uses it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I use it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted June 13, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted June 13, 2014 *nobody that matters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Hey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sie Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Hey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 The problem with Hangouts is that nobody uses it. Having had a look at Hangouts, its not a rival to Whatsapp. Hangouts rival is Skype or Facebook chat. Whatsapp is different, its an 'always on' chatting (by text) app, not for videocalling or speaking to people. and who actually talks to people nowadays? when was the last time you made an actual phone call to family or friends? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted June 13, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted June 13, 2014 The only person I phone is my mom. I don't even speak to my gf on the phone. But I do have a weird phone phobia so that could just be me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted June 14, 2014 Administrator Share Posted June 14, 2014 The problem with Hangouts is that nobody uses it. Having had a look at Hangouts, its not a rival to Whatsapp. Hangouts rival is Skype or Facebook chat. Whatsapp is different, its an 'always on' chatting (by text) app, not for videocalling or speaking to people. and who actually talks to people nowadays? when was the last time you made an actual phone call to family or friends? I don't get that at all. That's how I use Hangouts. It's core is group text messaging. The video stuff is additional. I have Hangouts open for the people I sit with at VIlla, for several games that I play (like Ingress). I have one for family. It's real time text group chatting and it's not owned by Facebook. I don't know what you are looking at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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