Amazon is reportedly launching its own messaging app to rival Apple’s Messages, among others.
Called “Anytime,” the service will reportedly boast voice and video calls, and possible photo-sharing, with the obligatory filters for photos and video with “special effects and masks.” More interestingly, it will also focus on group activities, such as playing games, listening to music, and — here’s the big one — ordering food.
As is standard with modern messaging apps it will feature strong encryption for protecting sensitive information, ranging from chat history to “important messages like bank account details.”
The most unique feature of the service is likely to be its integration with retail services, which makes a lot of sense given that Amazon is behind it. Apple will introduce peer-to-peer payments through its Messages app with iOS 11, but Amazon would be well-placed to take this technology to the next level. If Amazon chooses to go this route, making its messaging app a platform for connecting groups of buyers with retailers (say, discussing ordering takeout, and then placing an order and paying for it inside of an app) could be a great use-case.
One other feature which has been mentioned is the ability to “reach all your friends just using their name” without needing their phone numbers. It’s not specified what that means in real-world terms, but it links in with the kind of voice-based technology Amazon has been successfully pulling off with its Echo devices.
At present, Amazon is said to be still defining the exact feature set for the app, and there’s no timeline on exactly when we might expect it. It’ll likely be available for both Android and iOS, though. Now we just have to question whether it’ll be an Amazon Echo-style hit or a Fire Phone-type miss.
When it comes to messaging, I think a lot depends on how video chat-enabled devices like the Amazon Echo Show perform in the market place.
What would make you download yet another messaging app? Leave your comments below.
Source: AFTV News
