Chat apps have become so much more!
Originally published on 02 October 2014
It’s a simple user behaviour that Apple and all of these apps have recognised. Audio is easy to record and simple to listen to. There’s none of the friction that comes with having to set up a camera or look passably human in a video. To me, it’s only a matter of time before one of the companies above or someone else starts to do something simple but effective with the gigantic available audience.
On technology and methodology, the concept of audio messaging between mobile phone devices has been there for many years, and was originally known as “push-to-talk”. In almost all cases, it required a subscription and a detailed set-up process, which hindered its ability to widen its adoption amongst general users.
With the advent of smartphones and faster, cheaper data connectivity, for the greater of us, it has become possible for the makers of chat apps to offer additional features, which serve to further enrich the mobile communications user experience — and, subsequently, turning them into centralised gathering points for peers.
Hence, we have the creation of another social media opportunity for businesses to possibly target. WeChat is a prime example of a chat app that has diversified into much more — including (and not limited to) the ability for users to post simple blog-like entries, and for business owners to market products/services and offer customer support.
The number of businesses investing in these other social media channels are on the rise, with global airlines such as All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Thai Airways establishing a presence on LINE, another smartphone chat app, and AirAsia on WeChat. Interestingly, the interaction here are somewhat limited in comparison to what we’d normally see on Twitter and Facebook — but the writing is clearly on the wall.
Kinny tweets aviation, social media and technology on Twitter.
