Actualy I almost don't use WhatsApp. Saddly I settled on Telegram (sigh) but it's the only remotlely sane solution to having desktop client that doens't require mobile phone being constantly on.
I would love to have XMPP more popular, but while I love the protocol it had quite some shortcomings (carbons only getting popular recently for example)
Ends up with some friends throwing you a bone and downloading / registering for a new service. Some of them remember to keep it open. Some use it. The rest of their friends don't. But a few of them love you enough to use a special app just for you because you seem to care. <3