Truecaller, a mobile app that helps smartphone users identify unknown callers and texters, made a series of partnerships and announcements today, which essentially transforms the application into a platform. The Swedish company has more than 250 million global users, with India accounting for more than half of them.
The app, which is used by many to thwart unwanted phone calls, will now allow users to control their SMS inbox, which will automatically identify and block spam and telemarketing SMSes. You can also send predefined messages known as Flash messaging. Truecaller Pay, a mobile peer-peer payments solution is also in the works, and Google Duo integration will allow users to make video calls. The company is also collaborating with India’s leading wireless carrier brand, Airtel.
With more than 100 million users, Truecaller does have a solid user base in India, and the company has decided to make full use of its popularity. At this level, Truecaller has possibly reached a major portion of the Indian smartphone user base. From being just an application that helps its users to stay away from unwanted callers, Truecaller is using its brand awareness to move into other segments, such as voice/video calling, mobile payments, flash messaging and so on.
We have been able to build a mobile identity platform and ecosystem that more and more people are relying on a daily basis to build safe and meaningful services on top of it – and today we’re finally able to showcase the true potential of Truecaller – Alan Mamedi, CEO and co-founder, Truecaller
WhatsApp is the lead messaging application in India with more than 160 million users. With Truecaller’s user base also running in the hundreds of millions, India is a ripe market for both apps. Considering Facebook’s well-known mimicking of successful platforms like Snapchat and WeChat, don’t be surprised if they take a page out of Truecaller’s strategy for WhatsApp.
Truecaller has made a massive move to become an alternate messaging application, while also adding unique features of its own. It will be interesting to see how this develops, because if Truecaller tastes success, it will try to repeat the success in other markets around the world as well. It’s a little surprising to see that Truecaller didn’t launch a full blown messaging app or even take Google’s help at this point using the Google messaging app, Allo.
Still under development or discussion? We have a feeling we’ll be hearing more from this feisty little caller identification company.
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