New instant messaging app Wehey aims to dethrone Whatsapp

SAN JOSE , Costa Rica, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- A new instant messaging app called WeHey is looking to dethrone Whatsapp, the popular smart phone messenger app, which was bought by Facebook a year ago.

Created by the Spanish startup of the same name in Madrid, Wehey was launched a year ago. Its distinguishing factor is that it allows users to find each other and chat without having to initially request a person's phone number, as is currently the case with WhatsApp. The new app is being tested with users in Costa Rica, according to a report by the country's leading business journal, La Republica.

Over five million Costa Ricans have already downloaded and are using Wehey, which for the moment is only compatible with Android smartphones. The app's founders pride themselves on the app's dual functions of social media platform and instant messaging tool.

"Wehey is a British expression that translates to happiness and celebration," CEO Pelayo Puerta said. "We believe that uniting people beyond the physical, social and ideological constraints in life is a wonderful thing worth celebrating."

The startup's CEO has managed to fund and launch the app with his own money. This year, Wehey is expected to be incorporated as the main communication tool used in large corporations throughout the Central American country. According to Venezuelan news site Entorno Inteligente, WeHey will appeal to many, particularly employers, for its top-notch privacy settings and group chat features.

For now, Wehey is in Beta on Google Play and sometime this year will also be compatible with Apple iOS products.