WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum hints Apple copied features for iOS 8

WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum took a dig at Apple hours after the unveiling of updated operating systems; Yosemite and the iOS 8. He hinted several features in the messaging platform of the iOS 8 were copied from WhatsApp.

WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum took a dig at Apple hours after the unveiling of updated operating systems — Yosemite and the iOS 8 — at its 25th annual conference for application developers on Monday. Koum hinted several features in the messaging platform of the iOS 8 were copied from WhatsApp.

"Very flattering to see Apple "borrow" numerous WhatsApp features into iMessage in iOS 8," Koum tweeted on Tuesday.

Apple's messaging feature, iMessage, has added an option that will let users record and send audio and video messages. This feature already exists in WhatsApp. The ability to send location information in conversations, another feature in WhatsApp, is also being added in the iOS 8.

Apple has also announced a new feature, QuickType, which will offer predictive suggestions as users type their text messages.

The lack of a big technological scale-up since Apple founder Steve Jobs died in 2011 has raised questions among fans over creativity in the firm. The US-based company has largely been making improvements to its devices and software that hit the shelves under Jobs' leadership.

The updated Apple software has not been released for general use. It is expected to come into circulation later this year when, if speculations are to be believed, next generation of iPhones and iPads are likely to hit the stores.