According to a report from eMarketer (http://dtn.fm/3NkPd),
the number of global smartphone users is expected to surpass two billion this
year, and this growth is just the beginning. By 2018, the research firm
suggests that over one-third of consumers worldwide – roughly 2.56 billion
people – will be using smartphones to access the internet, communicate with
friends and make purchases. Alongside the proliferation of smartphones and
other mobile devices, digital communication is most certainly on the rise. While
the early part of the decade was defined by an uptick in social media usage and
texting, the latter half seems destined to redefine the way individuals
communicate through the development and evolution of messaging apps.
In a 2015 report, Contently (http://dtn.fm/gS0B4) gave some
insight into the rapid and pronounced growth of the messaging app space. In
total, six of the top 10 most used apps on the global stage are categorized as
messaging apps, and these same apps topped the charts in terms of app sessions.
Critically, leaders on the global app sessions charts offer a number of
extensive services to users that are specially designed to keep the apps at the
forefront of their respective audiences’ attention. Tencent Holdings’ (OTC:
TCEHY) WeChat, for example, combines messaging, group messaging, voice calls,
games, payments, food delivery and taxi services into an approachable,
intuitive interface.
Regional powerhouses such as Japan’s Line and Korea’s
KakaoTalk offer similar versatility to Tencent’s flagship offering, and all
three are beginning to eye growth on a more international stage. In a New York
Times article published earlier this month (http://dtn.fm/I3vKy), Line, which
is owned by South Korean online portal Naver (OTC: NHNCF), reiterated intentions
to raise about $1 billion in listings in New York and Tokyo ahead of a
potential summer IPO. If this funding comes through, it would value Line at
more than $5 billion, making it the biggest market debut for a technology
company this year.
Of course, the rapid adoption of messenger apps isn’t
exclusive to international markets. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) kicked off the
proverbial gold rush when it acquired Skype for $8.5 billion in May 2011.
Social media giant Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) has also taken strides toward
establishing a foothold in the market. In 2014, the company made headlines when
it unveiled a forced split of its social media app from its Messenger app,
which is currently the third most popular messaging app in terms of usage.
Facebook bolstered its position in the burgeoning market with its $19 billion
acquisition of WhatsApp that same year, putting it at the head of the class in
an increasingly crowded messenger world.
Despite the dominance of major players in the messenger
space, it’s important to note that users are still willing to try new entries
in the market. In a 2015 study by Global Web Index, active Snapchat users
between the ages of 16 and 64 were polled to determine how many used multiple
apps to communicate with friends and family, and the results were promising for
companies hoping to break into the market. As many as 72 percent of
Snapchatters also use Facebook Messenger, 54 percent also use WhatsApp and 51
percent also use Skype. In other words, if an app offers an enticing feature
set or user base that can’t be found on other offerings, users are proving more
than willing to cross brand lines.
I’m XAM, LLC is a debt-free, 100 percent privately-owned
company working to unveil its real-time collaborative Extensible Application
Messenger, which is being designed to refine and repurpose the way people
communicate in the mobile space. The ambitious platform combines the private
and group messaging capabilities of Twitter (NYSE: TWTR), known as Qme and
Circle on the I’m XAM app, with a number of exciting new features, such as a
polling mechanic, quick and easy invitations and digital business cards.
Currently under development for both Android and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iOS
devices, I’m XAM will be available to download for free, and it could be the
next app to make a major splash in the messenger market.
The first order of business following the release of I’m XAM
will be to build a user base, and the company has already unveiled plans to do
just that. Key portions of this strategy include expanded marketing efforts in
EMEA, Asia, Japan and the Americas, as well as additional development work,
such as adding multilingual support, which will play a role in increasing the
platform’s marketability on the global stage. Unlike many of the messenger apps
currently on the market, which often depend on download fees or third party
purchases for monetization, the free I’m XAM app will implement groundbreaking
monetization features designed to create less obtrusive revenue streams. As
stated in the company’s product overview, I’m XAM will ‘do things differently’,
and that could be a great recipe for success in the rapidly evolving messenger
app marketplace.
For more information, visit www.imxam.com
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