The messenger app segment is probably the second most heated after social media on both iOS and Android. The likes of WhatsApp, Google Allo, Telegram, Hike Messenger and Facebook Messenger are experimenting so much, that it doesn’t make sense for a company to butt in, unless the product is extremely unique.
However, a global e-commerce giant like Amazon cannot be happy without their presence in this space as well. The company is apparently working on its own standalone messaging app called ‘Anytime’ which is going to take on all others with some big features.
Amazon has been surveying customers, asking them for their feedback on what they would like to see in a messaging app. This is a good way of getting into customers’ heads and seeing what they want to see in a messenger. Not every messenger app is complete in itself anyway.
Features of Anytime
According to a leak by AFTVnews, Anytime will have basically everything other apps have – group calling, group chats, @mentions, video and photo filters, file sharing, chatting with businesses, GIF and emoji support, end-to-end encryption and a lot more.
The best feature will be a built-in assistant that can allow you to play games with friends as in Facebook Messenger, book reservations at restaurants, book a cab and listen to music with your friends. Since it is going to be a product by Amazon, it is also have the marketplace built right into the app, along with Amazon Pay.
If at all Amazon decides to launch it in India, then I am sure it is going to have UPI integrated into its system. However, with so much information in one place, privacy is going to be a concern, but Amazon has it figured with encryption of bank account details and other important things.
Amazon has also confirmed that you will only need your name, and not your phone number for this chat service. This essentially means that either you’ll have to choose a username or you’ll be connecting on the app from other social media like Facebook, Google+ or Twitter.
The main hurdle for this app will be resistance from users, who will not want to switch to something new now. Google launched Allo with the same intention but the company hasn’t been able to bring a lot of users to its platform, even though it had everything going for it. WhatsApp has been the favourite app for texts and continues to be the king.
If Amazon really has to kill it, then it has to think about getting into the mindset of customers. Either it will have to acquire a competitor or convince people to join the platform, which is going to take a lot of effort. Anyhow, it will mean more competition and hence more benefit to the users.
Images Source: AFTVnews
