WhatsApp 2

About

WhatsApp 2 refers to a joke involving the mobile application WhatsApp, in which social media users post ironic memes of the app's rumored 2.0 version called "WhatsApp 2." The joke began with Brazilian Twitter users in March 2021. There is no real app or confirmed upcoming update for WhatsApp 2, making the viral campaign a hoax.

Origin

On March 22nd, 2021, an image started to be spread in the Brazilian online community about an alleged countdown for the release of a new WhatsApp application, titled WhatsApp 2.^[1] The image (seen below) announces with a Portuguese caption that the app would be released in 12 days, changing the green and white logo colors to a black and gold version. The original source of the image is unknown.

Spread

The rumors spread online said that the updated edition of the message application would have a different look, in addition to new extra functions long awaited by users. On Twitter,^[2] the official WhatsApp account shared a Confused Lady meme, trying to understand where the rumor of a new app started. The post (seen below) garnered 2,000 likes and 387 retweets in two years.

Brazilian users of the messaging app also speculated that WhatsApp 2 is a modified version unofficial version of the application. For example, on March 22nd, 2021, Twitter^[3] user @oventurim_ (seen below) posted a screenshot with several other WhatsApp icons with the caption "WhatsApp 2 is only the beginning of the WhatsAppverse." The tweet received 31,100 likes and 4,200 retweets in two years.

Search Interest

Various Examples

External References