This month was a very interesting month for Tech related news. I would have loved to talk about the new Jolla’s phone and the ‘Other Half’, the XBOX ONE, Marissa Mayer’s Yahoo, BBC’s Perceptive Radio or even Google I/O.
But instead I will write about the rise of Instant Messaging Apps.
These apps have become so popular lately that they took over SMS in term of number of messages sent, but unlike the SMS, those apps are closed platform (you cannot send a message to someone that doesn’t have the same app installed).
Their main advantage is that it sends messages over data connection, so users can send pictures of their last lunch, creating inventive message using emoji, send a video of cats, etc. This type of apps is coming from Asia. Especially from Japan, where it has a huge success, mainly because the data connection is unlimited (unlike SMS).
Here is a list of the most famous Instant Messaging Apps on the market (or store ):
- WhatsApp (available on Android, Blackberry, iOS, Nokia, Windows Phone): Is the most widely used one. Users are identified using their phone number, it supports emoji, group chat, image, video and location sharing. But it’s not free, you need to pay after one year of free usage.
- Facebook messenger (available on Android, iOS, Web): This app has the advantage that it uses your Facebook contacts. It is integrated with your SMSs (SMSs are received as Facebook messages and added to the conversation).
- Google Hangouts (available on Android, iOS, Web): Hangouts is the replacement of Google Talk (yep, no open standard anymore), it offers emojis, group chat, video conference. SMS integration should come in a future update.
- Apple iMessage (available on iOS and MacOS): It has tons of emojis, group chat, seamless integration with SMS.
- Blackberry Messenger (available on Blackberry only; Android and iOS coming soon): BBM is one of the oldest chat app but was only for blackberry users, why not giving it a try on Android or iOS?
Charles Bonneau
Twitter: @charlesbonneau
Blog: http://blog.cbonneau.me