Sk Telecom, LG U+, and KT announced a plan to launch a new messaging platform Joyn on December 26. Joyn can be downloaded from the mobile app marketplace of the telecom companies without additional registration procedures.
Joyn is scheduled to be embedded as a default option in those smartphones to be marketed from next year.
Joyn is similar to KakaoTalk in that users can exchange messages or chat with friends on the contact list of their smartphones. Video or music files can also be shared.
Joyn is based on a technology developed by the GSM Association (GSMA). Unlike app-based messengers like KakaoTalk, Joyn will allow users to communicate with other mobile phone subscribers all around the world.
GSMA expects the number of Joyn users to reach 150 million by 2013 and 740 million by 2016 worldwide.
enews@hankyung.com
*Article provided by The Korea Economic Daily
http://english.hankyung.com/news/apps/news.viewpopup=0&nid=&c1=03&nkey=201212270750541