Well yes, it seems that LINE is here to stay. As reported today by Naver, the developer of the application, its creation has already reached the 100 million users…and all of this in just 18 months of “life.” Therefore, it's logical to think that this is the program destined to rival the “all-powerful” WhatsApp.
Therefore, the path taken by Line is taking its steps in an appropriate way. And it seems that its way of working convinces users, who find in this application an option Delivery to Italy takes one or two business days more than interesting since it offers a excellent behavior and, in addition, very interesting additional options, such as the possibility of making calls via the Internet.
Additionally, it should be noted that the Naver company tries to create a whole application ecosystem with the Line brand that cover the needs of users and, for example, already offers games and even an antivirus like yesterday we announced in Android Help (link). In parallel, the platform has promoted own stickers and special editions to celebrate milestones like 100 million.
A growth progressive and unstoppable
As reported by the developer itself, the number of users who have obtained on average with Line since its launch is 3 million registrations, so we are talking about a real success, which is tending to become established and a reality. Furthermore, it has been reported that penetration in Asian and Spanish-speaking countries has been very significant in recent months.
Plans in the immediate future for Line, according to Naver, are to consolidate in markets such as China, Europe and the US, apart from increasing its offer of additional applications to attract more users. It sounds very good, of course, but the market is tough and it will be necessary to see if it is capable of achieving it.
The truth is that the figure provided is very good, but it would be very interesting to know the number of active users that they have, apart from the high ones, since the use is what allows us to know if the future of any application, and more so instant messaging applications, is good or bad.
Accelerated origin and purpose of Line
Line was born to offer communication when it was most needed: after a great infrastructure challenge In Japan, calls and SMS failed, but WiFi/3G access was maintained in many areas. Naver Japan prioritized a lightweight, free messaging client that would work quickly and under adverse conditions, and within a few weeks it was already supporting text and voice calls.
From the beginning, the company accompanied the launch with intense marketing campaign and a very strong identity (its characters and stickers), which accelerated adoption beyond its original market.
Multiplatform and key features that set it apart
One of its great attractions was arriving as multiplatform application: Android, iOS, Windows Phone and BlackBerry, as well as a client for PC and Mac, something that its main rival was slow to emulate. Added to this was the Free VoIP among users, which promoted its daily use.
The ecosystem grew with complementary services: Line camera surpassed tens of millions of downloads in its first few months; games like Line Pop reached record numbers in just a few days; and the company added a own antivirus, reinforcing its proposal as a communication and leisure suite.
From messaging to superapp: stickers, services, and marketplaces
Over time, Line went from “simple messaging” to a super app: social feed, stories, mobile payments, taxi service, news, merchandise store, music, and even health services. paid stickers became a source of multi-million dollar annual revenue and a cultural feature of their brand.
After the 100 million milestone, the base continued to grow rapidly and far exceeded that figure, with particular strength in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Taiwan, which concentrate the majority of global users. In other countries, such as Spain, different studies place it behind WhatsApp, Messenger and Telegram, with a reduced fee but stable.
In addition to the organic push, its pace of incorporation continued to be marked by millions of weekly registrations and download spikes that placed it as the most downloaded app in several stores at different times. The strategy of content, promotions, and events with commemorative stickers helped build loyalty.
Active users and competitive impact
Beyond the highs, the real thermometer is the monthly activityThe combination of chat, calls, games, and payments drives recurring returns and explains its ability to compete in key markets while expanding into China, Europe, and the US with an increasingly comprehensive catalog.
Anyone looking for a solid alternative to the dominant apps will find Line a great platform. safe, versatile and with community, prepared to cover communication, entertainment and services from a single point.