Kik, the messaging app, is doing well as a back channel for social apps like Instagram. Now, with 30 million registered users, it’s pursuing its first update in a year and a half, creating a new way for people to add features like mini-apps. Read more »
Spanish startup Spotbros is trying to muscle into the mobile messaging market with an app that combines location-based communications with rich web-like messages and extra security. The company has raised $500,000 from former Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo and other investors. Read more »
GroupMe is looking beyond messaging with the introduction of Experiences by GroupMe, a new group event planning service that is launching in New York City. It’s part of GroupMe’s larger plan to influence local spending and get a piece of the local ad and offers market. Read more »
Messaging apps. The words could just make you sigh at this point. From Facebook to WhatsApp to Apple, everyone has something to offer in this space. So can a new entry at this point possibly stand a chance? Touch, a new app, hopes so. Read more »
WhatsApp is now delivering more than 1 billion messages a day on six different mobile platforms, which it claims puts ahead of any other independent messaging apps. It’s built its success despite charging for its app, avoiding publicity and somewhat reluctantly accepting VC money. Read more »
Group messaging app Kik, which got off to a fast start before it was banned by Research In Motion, is back with a new app for BlackBerry devices. The new Java ME-based app will be distributed directly by Kik and brings back cross-platform support. Read more »
It seemed like a no-brainer when Apple first unveiled iMessage for iOS devices: Why not build it into OS X, too? Well, turns out we may soon see iMessage work across nearly all Apple hardware, if new code discovered in Lion’s iChat is any indication. Read more »
Samsung, the South Korean electronics giant unveiled ChatON today, a multi-media group messaging app that will debut in October on its own Bada OS and will also appear on other platforms such as iOS, Android and BlackBerry. It will compete in a very crowded market. Read more »
Group messaging and conversation apps are everywhere these days. But despite all the competition, a new entrant with a less-is-more approach and emphasis on privacy might be just what some users are looking for. That’s exactly what the new iPhone app Glassboard offers. Read more »
Skype’s purchase of GroupMe has largely revolved around the communications side of the deal. But a big component is also GroupMe’s plans to monetize conversations by presenting local offers and discounts that help people make group decisions in real time. Read more »
GroupMe, a top contender in the group messaging app space, was born out of a hackathon but managed to find success by executing on its vision. The founders sat down with me and looked back at how the first year has gone since the service launched. Read more »
Facebook Messenger arrived yesterday, bringing a cross-platform group messaging solution that leverages your Facebook network and SMS to reach a wide potential audience. I compared it to other messaging solutions, but let’s take a closer look at Facebook’s offering and what it can do. Read more »
Now that Facebook has thrown its hat in the ring, there are quite a few choices for mobile messaging on the iPhone and other iOS devices. The three big ones are Facebook Messenger, Google+ and iMessage. Here’s a chart comparing their features and abilities. Read more »
Hot group messaging startup GroupMe is dealing with a trademark dispute from a fellow New York startup called Groupie, which is opposing GroupMe’s trademark application on the grounds that the names are too similar. The case highlights the rising competition in the group messaging market. Read more »
iOS 5 introduces a lot of changes for Apple’s mobile operating system, but iMessages is one of the most significant. It lets iPad, iPhone and iPod touch owners send rich and group messages free of charge. It’s borrows from RIM’s playbook, but also challenges network operators. Read more »
Early this month, BGR reported that RIM was considering opening up its Blackberry Messenger service to other platforms, including iOS and Android. Today, a report claimed that BBM would be coming to iPhone in April, but that report was confirmed to be a hoax. Read more »
