Whatsapp goes to , Gchat isn’t really working, Line, WeChat and other messaging apps have started gaining market share, even went ahead with a Whatspp like keyboard and messaging centre with the iOS 8 operating system. sure have left this segment unattended (or, failed to utilize this properly). Now Google seems to all set make an entry into this segment too.

According to a report that was published today in The Economic Times , Google is making a Messenger app that is already in early stages of development and will likely to make a debut in 2015. This was revealed via sources who are aware of the plans the report says.

What one can expect in the new app?

In the new app expect that Google will not force it’s users to sign in and get an account, simply to increase the number of users. It did realize the problem with Google+ recently.

But, we surely can expect the new app to come by default on new Android phones and the bunch of new pre-loaded apps in the Android OS.

Google, reportedly is considering supporting local language support on the app and voice-to-text messaging support too. It will be easy to make a mark in Indian landscape, especially after the launch of Android One. Tweaking ‘OK, Google’ to fit in the app for supporting voice-to-text and using a text-to-voice support for in-car use could also be looked forward to.

One of the biggest advantage could be the free model of app. This app is expected to come for free for phones for lifetime, like Gmail, and Google+ accounts. Whatsapp charges INR 53 annually after free use for one year.



Google’s failed attempt to own Whatsapp

Reportedly Google made a $10 billion deal to Whatsapp earlier this year, but Whatspp accepted the $19 billion deal with the Mark Zuckerberg company, Facebook.

Even when the deal was in the final stages of approval, Larry Page of Google wanted to outdo Facebook-whatsapp deal with a bigger offer. “The search giant was apparently extremely eager to bring WhatsApp under its own umbrella,” said a report in AppleInsider

Why the need to launch a competitor?

Since WhatsApp is the top mobile chat app with about 76% of users in India using it to text each other, according to a recent study on usage in India by Informate Mobile Intelligence, Google’s attempt to launch a competitor do not need explanation. (Source: Khyati M. Patel and Ronak Dabgar, Customer Satisfaction towards Whatsapp)

Google interest in messaging apps is also apparent with the fact that it planned to launch low-cost Android One handsets in emerging countries in a bid to bring uniform operating system environment.

If Google opts to push its own messenger on Android phones (including Android One), it is about 84.7% wordwide based on IDC’s report on OS worldwide market share in Q2, 2014 . And yes there are wearables coming with Android Wear which will also find a new Messenger helpful.

Both Google and Facebook could not make it big on Messenger apps

Also note that Facebook’s own Messenger was not a great success in the past. Facebook in 2014 attempted to add free voice calling feature to the app on phones, but it did not see heads turning. Facebook acquisition of Whatsapp gave it a good beginning.

READ - No more pushing free Google+ account on signing up for Google Google’s own GTalk or Gchat and Google+ (similar to messenger and social network) have not been great and successful products. Google recently also stopped pushing free Google+ accounts for all users who signed for Google gmail account. This it made mandatory for the gmail users by default in 2012 in a bid to compete with Facebook.

It also had to completely shut down its first social networking platform Orkut this month.

About Whatsapp

Whatspp is a cross-operating system messaging app that have been very popular in India and is one of the most popular apps used on Android powered phones. Of the 500 million active users of whatsapp in April 2014, 48 million were in India

ALSO READ: A lookback at the journey of Google and challenges it is facing

Image 1: Screenshot of Gtalk Lab test version; Source: Wikipedia

Image 2: Logo of Whatsapp mobile app