[Kiddo_24]

I got back over the weekend from Taiwan. I was impressed at the strong presence of Line Chat as the communications app of choice for people there. I heard the default ringtone while walking down the street, while riding the MRT (subway system), and even while dining. People used the app via their iPhone or Android device.

I am currently on T-Mobile so their awesome new international roaming package came in handy in Taiwan. Even while roaming on 2G (EDGE) data speeds, I was able to make voice calls via Line to my wife (also in Taiwan) and our friends there. More impressive still was the near HD sound quality of the calls!

I'm sure a lot of members of CrackBerry and Mobile Nations overall know of Line Chat. This was the first time I actually thought of it as the premiere app that BlackBerry needs to mimic to succeed.

The basic features are pretty straightforward and similar to BBM:
- Line Chat with "READ" notification
- Share pictures (up to 10 at a time!), voice notes, files, even videos (up to 90 seconds)
- Make voice and video calls
- Can register with an email address instead of having account tied to a phone number

Where Line really shines are with their Emoticons and Smiley packs. Their expressive stickers are fun and funny. Those friends of mine I forced to install BBM use Line side by side. Their number one complaint about BBM is why the smileys are so small you can't tell them apart on iOS and Android. Truly, I have no idea. Huge fail for BBM.

BBM is available on BlackBerry, Android, and iOS with BBM 2.0 with the voice calls coming "in a few months". Months. Sigh. The desktop version continues to be rumored.
Line Chat is available on Android, BlackBerry OS, iOS, Windows Phone, MAC, and Windows PC. Yes, available for all major smartphone platforms AND desktops! (Line Chat for Android can be sideloaded onto BB10.)

A few months ago, Line Chat started using what they call "Timeline". Its kind of like a mini social media where pictures can be shared and statuses can be posted.

Line also has Official Accounts such as "The Walking Dead" and "Paul McCartney". BBM Channels, anyone?

Unlike all the other cross-platform chat apps, Line Chat actually found a way to monetize their app by selling premium smiley and sticker packs, in-app purchases for games and such.

Back in late November 2013, Line announced they had 300 registered users. They have a strong presence in East Asia, Europe, and Latino America.
Fast-Growing Line Leaves the US Market Until Last

Massive presence, active users, fast-growing user base, amazing features, fun, mobile social platform, multi-platform accessible, and revenue generator, Line Chat truly is the one app BlackBerry should have in its crosshairs to beat.

LINE : Free Calls & Messages


Follow me on twitter @TheNewsReel

[theGrgH]

Line would have been my favorite messaging app if it wasn't for them irresponsibly sending messages over mobile data/3G completely unsecured in plain text: LINE vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attack | Telecom Asia
Hike does the same too.
I don't get why these apps secure messages with SSL when on WiFi, but don't when on mobile data/3G.
Some say "performance reasons", but I'm not convinced.

[Kiddo_24]

I hear yah. That's why it's BBM all the way for me. But to convince the masses, BBM should match many if not all of those features to compete in markets here and abroad.

Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!

[theGrgH]

At the same time, how secure can we consider BBM to be?
Ideally, a secure messaging app is one where only the sender and recipient may view the messages. But we know that BlackBerry can view our messages because they manage any encryption keys. And BBM's "global" encryption key is not consoling either -if someone can successfully fake their identity as the recipient of a certain BBM message, or otherwise intercept a message, they would be able to decrypt the message.
I'm trying to find some info on BBM security on this thread, but no answers yet:
http://forums.crackberry.com/general...antage-894069/