Feature Article

Free eNews Subscription>>
February 07, 2014

Kik Decides to Go with a Built-in Browser Compatible with Any Mobile Site

Kik Messenger is an instant messaging application designed for mobile devices. The app is available on most iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Symbian operating systems, so you can see that it is pretty much a cross-platform app.

The app is free of charge. If a comparison can be made, Kik Messenger is similar to BlackBerry's Messenger. What people like about Kik is that it uses a smartphone's data plan or Wi-Fi to transmit and receive messages.

This is a feature that appeals to individuals. You can avoid text messaging rates set by phone service providers by using Kik Messenger. It offers a swift text messaging service and also allows users to share photos, sketches, voice messages as well as other content. Kik Messenger requires users to register a username as a form of identification.

This week, Kik announced that it has a new version available as of Wednesday. What makes this new version unique is the fact that it is now the first messenger app that offers a built-in browser experience. In fact, it is actually integrated into the messages themselves.

Embracing the popularity and the profusion of HTML5 in mobile optimized websites, Kik designed the browser to take advantage of it. Kik believes that this will have the added effect of lowering the bar for developers looking to offer an in-app experience for a large messaging network.

In an interview, Kik CEO and founder, Ted Livingston said “We’re going to be the first smartphone messenger with a built-in browser, and that’s really exciting for us because now the pitch to developers is much more clear. Before, it was like ‘Hey Soundcloud [for instance], you should build a Kik card and submit it to us and we’ll make a decision.’ Now it’s like ‘Hey Soundcloud you’re already on Kik.”

A little over a year ago in November 2012, Kik was working on a method of getting HTML5-based interactive content into its app. The idea was to make it easier for users to find, share and have conversations that were centered around content.

The name given to this idea was “Cards.” The goal of Cards was a way for Kik Messenger to stand apart from the rest of the mobile messaging apps. This represented a very big investment on their part. Fifteen months later the option for bringing apps and Web content within this experience is the new in-app browser.

If you are familiar with Kik’s Card integration, then you should feel comfortable with the new browser. It has the same look. It offers easy searching for Kik-optimized sites and a more intelligent sharing method that makes it easy to find your most commonly used Web applications.

Livingston did not share any figures, but he did say that the holiday season was amazing for them. He made reference to the fact that in the U.S. the app reached number nine of the free iOS app charts and 10 in Google Play.

Livingston talks about Kik’s HTML5 content push as a route to monetization, noting that discovery now offers it a chance to do something with promoted content. But until now, the Cards mechanic, while well-executed, has seemed daunting to outside developers. This will make it a little easier for developers to work with.

 


FOLLOW MobilityTechzone

Subscribe to MobilityTechzone eNews

MobilityTechzone eNews delivers the latest news impacting technology in the Wireless industry each week. Sign up to receive FREE breaking news today!
FREE eNewsletter