<p> <i> 12.50 pm </i>

Beam Messenger enters India, may take time to take on WhatsApp

As WhatsApp is embarking upon the idea of introducing the VOIP or free voice calling feature, which is limited to invite-only users in India, another mobile messaging app Beam Messenger is gearing up to give it a tough competition in texting arena, especially in a huge market like India, which second largest for WhatsApp.

"One notable stat we have is that our in-app engagement is higher than the rest in the mobile messaging category. As far as time spent in-app per week, people on Beam have longer sessions per day. We’re doing better than Whatsapp, Snapchat, Tango, WeChat, LINE and Kakao, among others," said Tania Hew, founder and director of Beam Propulsion Lab.

India has consistently ranked in the top 5 countries with the most Beam users, which means till last month some users were downloading the app illegally but now the app is made legal to download and is available on Google Play.

The India launch has also added some new features such as online indicator status (so when you are typing out your messages you’ll be able to tell whether or not your friend is on the other end reading it in real-time), emoticons, and more sharing options.

Messages in Beam Messenger appear to the recipient as it is being typed, showing it character after character in a simultaneous process giving enough time for the recipient to respond immediately.

Another feature of the Beam Messenger is that it can be wiped out of the chat window provided both users are online at the same time. It also shows whether the other person is online or not.

Though one of the latecomers into the texting world, Beam Messenger may pick up once people get used to it and pose a challenge to FaceBook-owned WhatsApp in India. Otherwise, it also faces competition from established messaging apps from Snapchat, Line and others.

Beam Messenger is available on Android platform currently and is planning to introduce iOS support soon. Here is what the Beam Messenger says on its Google Plus page:

"WHY USE BEAM?

• Experience the nuances of having a conversation in real time. No more waiting to see what the other person is typing. You would be surprised how much is left out from simply sending a chunk of text to your phone. And how quickly you can lose others when typing long messages. With Beam, you feel close & connected!
• Have something to add or want to address what your friend is saying mid-sentence? Now you can! Stay with the conversation. Don’t simply wait your turn to speak.
• Have the ability to erase the last written thing, with immediate changes happening on both phones. Nothing is truly stored, so conversations are always dynamic.
• Due to its Real Time nature, the messages are inherently secure. No single message is ever delivered, letters simply arrive on your phone in an organized fashion.
• Personalize your Beam Messenger experience by adding your own wallpaper. And tell others about yourself with your own cool profile page, complete with your personalized header image."</p>