A new report suggests Google is all set to take on popular messaging apps WhatsApp, WeChat, Line and Hike with its own mobile chat app.
According to the Economic Times report published Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter, Google is likely to test the messaging app in India and other emerging markets soon.
As per the report, Google had sent top product manager Nikhyl Singhal last month to India to better understand the messaging app ecosystem in the country. Singhal is also reportedly touring other Asia Pacific countries to checkout local ecosystems better.
Sources claim Google’s own messenging app, which is currently in early stages of development, could probably see a 2015 launch.
The yet-to-be named messaging application, unlike other Google products, will not compel users to use a Google login.
The search engine giant is also considering localizing the mobile chat app by adding Indian language support and voice-to-text messaging, the newspaper noted.
The messenger will also be free to use. Rival messaging app, WhatsApp, with over 65 million users in India, charges users Rs 53 annually after one year of usage.
The California based software maker had reportedly made an offer of over $10 billion (Rs 60,000 crore) to acquire Whatsapp which was ultimately bought by social networking giant Facebook for $19 billion (Rs 1.2 lakh crore).
A spokeswoman from Google said the company does not prefer to comment on speculations.
