Not true at all. This effect is pretty common in countries outside of US. It makes sense. WhatsApp is just another messaging app thats popular depending on a local whim. Where as iMessages get sent automatically between iOS users.
On [1], If you only look at countries with decent GDP per Capita. iOS will have anywhere from 40 to 65% market share. Even in China iOS is well over 30%.
When you consider Africa + ASEAN + India has 3.5B population and has very low iPhone market share that sort of Skew the figures.
Because it doesn't show an accurate representation. iOS is growing at a faster rate than ever before in developing countries, Apple achieved 11% shipment market share for the first time in India in Q424.
I'm sure there are dozens of people in Germany who actively prefer iMessage but I haven't met one yet. Whatsapp achieved pretty much total market capture here back when SMS still were costly and the network effects that arose from that are among the strongest I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure if someone was to do a survey, almost everyone would say Messages is for SMS only and I think most of them wouldn't know it can do more than that.
Yet i write with most of my German friends using iMessages because its automatic and i dont have Telegram or WhatsApp because nobody uses it in my european country.
I didnt say this is so prevalent. Just that it exists.
My experience from few european countries is that middle class - tech/business/law people have iOS. Go to tech or business conference and its all iphones.
So its really easy to be in such circles. I live in EU country and its all iMessage or Signal. Nobody uses WhatsApp if something its Facebook Messenger or Instagram messages.
