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Part 2: WhatsApp’s Business Head Neeraj Arora on Integration Of Services, The Facebook Deal & Why He Joined Whatsapp

In part 1 of this two part interview with Neeraj Arora, head of business for WhatsApp, we spoke about telecom operator deals, how business development for WhatsApp is going to change this year, carrier deals post WhatsApp Voice, and WhatsApp's plans to hire in India. In part 2, he discusses ideas for monetization for WhatsApp via integration of services, the Facebook deal, and why he joined WhatsApp: MediaNama: Look at what WeChat has: they're trying to integrate games and commerce solutions. People are already using WhatsApp for commerce, like ordering services. Do you see integration of services, and premium accounts? Arora: Our philosophy has been very clear from day 1: Anything that clutters the experience is not going to be done. No games, no gimmicks, no ads. With Facebook or without Facebook, that was always the plan. We've always been intrigued by how small businesses have been using WhatsApp. That's a discussion we've had, but we don't have a plan for it. Anything that adds to the utility of WhatsApp, we're happy doing. Anything that takes away from the experience, we don't want to do. Nothing should come in the way of you messaging your friends and family. If you're promoting games, to us, is a bad idea. (In comparison) My Uber is coming and I get a message on WhatsApp, that's a utility. Those kind of ideas, I'm open to, but I don't have a product timeline for it. We think about it all the time, but the challenge there…

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Written By

Founder @ MediaNama. TED Fellow. Asia21 Fellow @ Asia Society. Co-founder SaveTheInternet.in and Internet Freedom Foundation. Advisory board @ CyberBRICS

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