Seamlessness is the need of the hour. Whether it is completing one level of Candy Crush on your mobile and continuing from the next level on your desktop, our expectations are raised by such innovative methods which make us seek the same service across other platforms too. Now Viber is on this very path.
We all have heard of Viber, if not used at any time. Developed by Viber Media, it is a mobile application that allows you to make phone calls and send text messages to all other Viber users for free. Users can also make free HD-quality calls to other Viber users on iPhone, Android amongst others. All that you need is WiFi or 3G. Viber currently has more than 200 million users in over 193 countries.
While Whatsapp is at the top of the heap when it comes to IM mobile apps, Line messenger & Viber ar currently fighting neck to neck to gain the second spot!
To increase its reach, Viber has now announced the launch of Viber Desktop 4.0, bringing the latest updates from its major mobile update to the desktop. Chief among the updates is support for the revenue-generating Viber Sticker Market that significantly expands the number of stickers available to Viber users.
Viber Desktop is also now available on Linux for the first time, in addition to Windows and Mac.
Viber Sticker Market
As has been the case with competing apps like WhatsApp, MessageMe, and even Facebook Messenger, Viber plans to use stickers, large clipart-style emoticons and text, to generate revenue. The company will be creating its own paid content, as well as licensing content from other sources such as television shows, branded characters, etc. Not all of the content within the Sticker Market will be paid, but some of it will be available through in-app purchase. Viber first introduced stickers back in December of 2012, but has always maintained an entirely free, and ad-free, experience for its users.
Push-to-talk
Viber claims to be using special technology that minimizes the time spent waiting between voice messages. Rather than record, send, download, and play (taking around 45-60 seconds for an average 15 second voice message), Viber push-to-talk does the recording, sending and playing all at once to turn around voice messages in four to six seconds.
What’s new?
Additional important updates in the new version include:
Drag and drop – send photos by dragging them to the app: This is what others have been using since ages and is seen as a comfort tool, though late
‘Seen’ status lets you know when your messages have been viewed: At par with BBM, this is what WhatsApp has still not been able to replicate. Real need of the hour.
Ability to receive video messages: Already in other apps
Ability to view photo and video descriptions: Already in other apps
Video call improvements: Might be merely bug fixes
With the free-to-call mobile apps and IMs market getting crowded as the 3G penetration increases, it is essential to make the best use of technology to retain your users and add more in due course. With Whatsapp, Line messenger and BBM coming to Android and iOS, the pressure is felt on other such apps to pull up their socks. What say?
