These smartphone applications act as instant messaging platforms and also provide the option of audio and video calls. As these apps are completely free to download and use, many user have flocked to them and have managed to cut their phone bills.
All that these applications require is that both sender and receiver should have the app installed on their smartphones and an active internet connection. These criteria being satisfied, users can make calls and send messages to contacts all over the globe. With the quality of internet getting better and the application developers working hard to make the apps completely interruption and disruption free, these apps have seen a massive popularity in the recent past. Traditional text messaging and calling as provided by telecom operators has now become a thing of the past.
WeChat is one of the most popular instant messaging platforms with calling functionality. Tencent Communications from China operates this application, which is said to have over 450 million unique subscribers per month. The app provides a multitude of features including group chatting, push to talk and live video chatting and calling features. WeChat is very useful when it comes to meeting new people with a handy shake to find feature. WeChat is free for download and is available on Android, iOS, Windows, Blackberry and other notable platforms. WeChat was launched in 2011 in China and today, it offers multiple language support. WeChat provides unparalleled and rich features when it comes to making calls. WeChat is not just another messaging platform, but can also prove to be a great tool for social networking.
Tango is another application which allows voice and video calling features over the internet. Tango is extremely user friendly and intuitive to use. It works smoothly across all supported platforms, which include the likes of iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows and others. It also supports tablets and desktops. Tango allows for a maximum of up to 50 contacts to share content and make calls it. With very intuitive and rich features, Tango had bagged many awards in 2013 and its user base is steadily expanding.
The third of the giants in smartphone messaging applications is Viber. Viber also allows text messaging and calling features for devices across multiple platforms. Viber does not require any details from the user for operation other than a valid phone number. Once downloaded and installed, the application scans the user’s contact list and automatically adds all other users who also have the app installed. Viber was launched only for iOS devices in 2010, but is now available across all other major platforms including Android, Windows, Blackberry and Nokia. It is also compatible with PCs and tablets and offers great group messaging and a high definition voice engine.
All of these apps are completely free to download and use and the only payment that users need to provide is that of the active internet connection. With smartphone penetration having increased exponentially in the past few years, the popularity of these apps has increased manifold as they allow users to cut their phone bills by a great amount.