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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg: 'What'sApp WIll Connect A Billion People (But We're Ditching Email)'

Facebook Ditches Email For Good
Huffington Post UK
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What'sApp will quickly grow to more than a billion users, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said.

The mobile phone application was bought by Facebook for $19 billion last week.

It was also announced today that a voice calling service will be added to WhatsApp in the coming months.

But Facebook also announced it will ditch its email service, as nobody used it.

From today any emails sent to @facebook.com addresses will instead be forwarded to your personal email. As such technically if someone has your Facebook account name, they technically have a way into your personal inbox too.

In a keynote speech at Barcelona's Mobile World Congress today, Zuckerberg said: "WhatsApp is a great company and it's a great fit for us. Already almost half a billion people love using WhatsApp for messaging.

"It's the most engaging app that we've ever seen that exists on mobile by far.

"About 70% of people who use WhatsApp use it every day, which kind of blows away everything else that's out there.

"What we see is that WhatsApp is on a path to connecting more than a billion people and there are very few services in the world that can reach that level and they're all incredibly valuable."

MWC 2014: In Pictures
Mark Zuckerberg Attends Mobile World Congress 2014(01 of22)
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BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 24: Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg arrives to his Keynote conference as part of the first day of the Mobile World Congress 2014 at the Fira Gran Via complex on February 24, 2014 in Barcelona, Spain. The annual Mobile World Congress hosts some of the world's largest communication companies, with many unveiling their latest phones and gadgets. The show runs from February 24 - February 27. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
SPAIN-TECHNOLOGY-MOBILE-FACEBOOK-ZUKERBERG(02 of22)
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Visitors follow on a huge display Facebook's 29-year-old billionaire creator Mark Zuckerberg speaking on the opening day of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. Fresh from a $19-billion (14-billion-euro) takeover by Facebook, mobile messaging service WhatsApp said today it will launch free voice calls by mid-year. Zuckerberg was the star speaker today of the industry fair, had announced a stock and cash purchase of WhatsApp last Wednesday of $19 billion (14-billion-euro). AFP PHOTO / QUIQUE GARCIA (Photo credit should read QUIQUE GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Mark Zuckerberg Attends Mobile World Congress(03 of22)
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BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 24: Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg speaks during his keynote conference as part of the first day of the Mobile World Congress 2014 at the Fira Gran Via complex on February 24, 2014 in Barcelona, Spain. The annual Mobile World Congress hosts some of the world's largest communication companies, with many unveiling their latest phones and gadgets. The show runs from February 24 - February 27. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
SPAIN-TECHNOLOGY-MOBILE-WORLD-CONGRESS-SAMSUNG(04 of22)
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President and Ceo Head of IT and Mobile and Communication Division at Sansung Electronics JK Shin walks on the stage during a press conference at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO / QUIQUE GARCIA (Photo credit should read QUIQUE GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
SPAIN-TECHNOLOGY-MOBILE-WORLD-CONGRESS-SAMSUNG(05 of22)
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The Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 is presented during the 2014 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 23, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO/ LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
SPAIN-TECHNOLOGY-MOBILE-WORLD-CONGRESS-SAMSUNG(06 of22)
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Samsung Galaxy Gear Fit S5 is presented during the 2014 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 23, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO/ LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
SPAIN-TECHNOLOGY-MOBILE-WORLD-CONGRESS-SAMSUNG(07 of22)
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The Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 is presented during the 2014 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 23, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO/ LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
What'sApp(08 of22)
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Co-founder and CEO of Whatsapp Jan Koum holds a conference during the 2014 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 24, 2014 The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO/LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Sony Xperia Tablet Z2(09 of22)
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President and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications Kunimasa Suzuki presents the Xperia Z2 tablet during a press conference at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO / QUIQUE GARCIA (Photo credit should read QUIQUE GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Nokia X(10 of22)
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CEO of Nokia Corporation Stephen Elop presents the new Nokia X at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Nokia X(11 of22)
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CEO of Nokia Corporation Stephen Elop presents the new Nokia X at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Nokia X(12 of22)
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CEO of Nokia Corporation Stephen Elop speaks during a press conference at the 2014 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 24, 2014 The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO/LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Nokia(13 of22)
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CEO of Nokia Corporation Stephen Elop presents the new Nokia XL at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Sony Xperia Z2(14 of22)
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President and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications Kunimasa Suzuki presents the Smartphone Xperia Z2 during a press conference at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO / QUIQUE GARCIA (Photo credit should read QUIQUE GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
MWC 2014(15 of22)
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Visitors arrive at the 2014 the Mobile World Congress centre in Barcelona, on February 23, 2014. (credit:Getty Images)
Mediapad X1(16 of22)
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CEO Huawei Consumer Business Group, Richard Yu, prensents the Mediapad X1. (credit:Getty Images)
Ascend G6(17 of22)
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CMO Europe Huawei Consumer Business Group, Andrew Connell, presents The Huawei Ascend G6. (credit:Getty Images)
Talkband B1(18 of22)
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CEO Huawei Consumer Business Group, Richard Yu, presents the Talkband B1 (credit:Getty Images)
SPAIN-TECHNOLOGY-MOBILE-WORLD-CONGRESS(19 of22)
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A man uses a mobile device at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO / JOSEP LAGO (Photo credit should read JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
SPAIN-TECHNOLOGY-MOBILE-WORLD-CONGRESS(20 of22)
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Visitors use Nokia phones at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO / JOSEP LAGO (Photo credit should read JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
SPAIN-TECHNOLOGY-MOBILE-WORLD-CONGRESS(21 of22)
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A woman presents an 'intelligent watch' Ibis by Finnish company Creoir during at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO / QUIQUE GARCIA (Photo credit should read QUIQUE GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
SPAIN-TECHNOLOGY-MOBILE-WORLD-CONGRESS(22 of22)
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A visitor looks at the Sony Xperia Z2 during a press conference at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014. The Mobile World Congress runs from the 24 to 27 February where participants and visitors alike can attend conferences, network, discover cutting-edge products and technologies at among the 1,700 exhibitors as well as seek industry opportunities and make deals. AFP PHOTO / QUIQUE GARCIA (Photo credit should read QUIQUE GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

The WhatsApp brand is to be maintained and its headquarters will remain in Mountain View, California.

It's co-founder and chief executive Jan Koum will join Facebook's board of directors.

Zuckerberg went on:

"When we had the opportunity to be a part of this journey I was just really excited to take Jan up on that and to help him realise his dream of connecting a lot more people."

"In terms of fit for Facebook, when Jan and I first met and started talking about this we really started talking about what it was going to be like to connect everyone in the world."

"It wasn't really until we got aligned on that vision between Facebook and WhatsApp that we actually started talking about numbers and decided to make a deal.

"It's that vision that I think makes the companies such a great fit. It's the shared goal to help connect everyone in the world."

Koum told the conference that WhatsApp would offer a voice service for Android mobiles and iPhones this spring, with Blackberry, Microsoft and Nokia handsets coming later.

"We are going to introduce voice in WhatsApp in the second quarter of this year," he told the conference. "I think we have the best voice product out there. We use the least amount of bandwidth."

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