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Samsung bakes SMS support into ChatON for Android, because please use ChatON
Between social networks and a near infinite number of messaging apps, there are frankly too many ways us humans can keep in touch. With so many platforms competing for a slot in your app drawer, some are attempting to absorb SMS traffic and become your one-stop messaging shop. Google Hangouts was updated a month ago with SMS support (stock Android 4.4 KitKat does away with a pre-loaded SMS app altogether), and now Samsung's ChatON for Android has followed suit. The latest version of the app allows you to set it as your SMS/MMS inbox, though the feature is only live in Germany and Brazil at the moment. Not that anyone uses ChatON, but it's another mixture of cellular and data threads that's a recipe for confusion. Facebook recently killed SMS integration from its messaging app due to poor uptake, probably because users still prefer the distinction. Everyone uses Snapchat exclusively now anyway, right?
Samsung claims 100 million people use its ChatOn messaging service
Though we haven't received any ChatOn messages ourselves lately, Samsung says that its messaging service has caught on with some. In fact, it's just chalked up a "global subscriber base" of 100 million folks in around two years, thanks to its availability on diverse platforms like iOS, Android, Bada, the web and Windows Phone. Samsung singled out China and India as key markets for the service and touted features like drag-and-drop media sharing and the ability to hand-write messages with an S Pen-equipped device. Though the numbers sound good, we're not sure if the Korean company is counting active users or just those who registered out of curiosity because it came pre-installed on their phones. By contrast, WhatsApp counts 300 million subscribers who use the service monthly. We've reached out to Samsung to confirm and maybe we'll get around to registering for the service ourselves, some day.
Samsung ChatON for Android gets Olympic Buddy feature, also sports a new logo
Ever since its debut late last year, Samsung's ChatON application has been a moderate hit amongst folks using iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone and Android devices. Now, along with outing a slightly redesigned logo (pictured above), the Korean outfit's also updated its app in Google's sweet OS to version 1.9.5 on handsets, or 1.7.3 if you're handling one of those larger slabs. Most notably, the ChatON refresh brings the London 2012 spirit with a timely "Olympic Buddy" feature, which keeps you in the loop by pushing out breaking news, daily schedules and, of course, medal tables. Additionally, there's now a walkie-talkie service within the phone application, while the tablet variant gained the ability to send documents to your friends -- not to mention it finally lets you use fancy emoticons. Feeling pretty antsy to give it a try? That Google Play link below will take you there.
Samsung Galaxy Chat brings Nature UX to the messaging crowd
We didn't have to wait long to find out what Samsung would do with the GT-B5330 we saw just a day ago: meet the much more elegantly-titled Galaxy Chat. The finished product is Samsung's first phone outside of the Galaxy S III to carry the Nature UX layer, but takes it in a very message-happy direction with a QWERTY keyboard, a bundled copy of Quick Office and a dedicated key for ChatON that reminds us of the BlackBerry Curve 9320's BBM shortcut. Not that you'd confuse the two otherwise, as the Galaxy Chat's 3-inch, 480 x 320 touchscreen and 4GB of built-in storage (plus a microSD slot) are decided steps up. About our only letdowns relative to the category are the 2-megapixel, flashless camera at the back and the difficulty some will have in getting their hands on Samsung's first keyboard-touting Android 4.0 phone. Unlike the global blitz we saw with the Galaxy S III, the Chat is launching in Spain this month and will exclude some large swaths of the Earth when it goes worldwide later on, leaving out Africa, North America and Russia.
Samsung says Facebook project rumor 'groundless'
Samsung has stated that it's not planning to offer a social network along the lines of Facebook. Previously referred to as Samsung Facebook, the company reiterates that it'll continue to offer its own Family Story service on its devices -- and its working to upgrade the experience. However, this will remain "far from a Samsung Facebook."
Samsung aiming for complete mobile domination with rumored Facebook competitor
Samsung's made no secret of its ambitions to commandeer all aspects of mobile tech -- from the devices themselves to processors and software like ChatON and the recently announced Siri competitor S Voice. While we've seen the company head into social media territory before, it looks like it wants an even bigger piece of that pie. According to The Korea Times, Sammy is gearing up to launch a Facebook-style service early next year. The network, code-named (rather transparently) Samsung Facebook, will supposedly be integrated with Amazon's cloud computing platform, and the company is using its already-existing Family Story network as a starting point for the service. And lest you think the company sees edging out Facebook as a serious challenge, it hopes to expand its social media service "across different devices from different companies across different mobile platforms."
Samsung ChatON now available as web-based messaging client
ChatON is Samsung's mobile messaging platform available for Bada, Android, BlackBerry and, yes, iOS phones. Now it's pulled the sheets from the web-based version of the service that allows you to message your frenemies from the comfort of your desktop. As well as short messages, you'll get group chat, multimedia sending, profile pages and buddy charts to let you know who your BFFs are. All of your communiqués and shared multimedia are stored in the "Trunk," a repository for those office-party pictures you wish you'd never sent. You'll also be able to link your desktop and phone accounts so that you're accessible at whatever device you're sat at. Head on down to our source link to go straight to sign up.
Samsung's ChatON messaging service brings free texting to Android, iOS and BlackBerry (video)
It looks like Samsung is about to dip its toes in the mobile messaging market, with a new service called ChatON. Slated to debut at this week's IFA, the app brings texting, group chat and image / video sharing to not only Samsung's Bada OS, but to iOS, Android and BlackBerry platforms, as well. According to the Korean manufacturer, the new client will be available in two versions: a basic one for feature phones and another, more complex variation that allows smartphone users to comment on other profiles, send animated messages and visualize their most frequently contacted friends, as displayed above. The company is also planning to release a web-based version that would bring similar functionality to PCs. ChatON is slated to go live next month (in more than 120 countries and 62 languages), but you can find more information in the demo video and translated PR, after the break.
