You could use the damn phone as such and call. They even might appreciate it more. (Unless you have to be “chatting” continuously, of course.) And no, nobody really wants to see your face, believe me.

I don’t think those people use the video function of whatapps really often. In many places the default app to text is whatapps.

But fair; if in the same country you can call. ( and if not, you can go thought a service allowing you to call abroad. Like the now senile Skype )

Are there really phones that exist that don't have the SMS app?

> And no, nobody really wants to see your face, believe me.

This is such a sad perspective.

That girl will have IG. And from there if she likes you you can take it to any other platform

So your argument against Meta app WhatsApp is "nah, she'll have Meta app Instagram, so we're cool"? :-)))

IG is not a messaging app though. So exchange IG then move to whatever messaging app you like and start convincing her to get off that hated Meta