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Viber, the free-to-download communication app, today reached 100 million users across iOS, Android and Windows Phone platforms — and it plans to celebrate by moving to S40, Symbian and Bada too.
The app essentially provides free phone calls, messages and photo messages over 3G and Wi-Fi, giving users an alternative to the more expensive native calling and messaging on their phones. There’s no ads or in-app purchases, but it may in the future add the ability to call or text normal phone numbers, which it would presumably charge for.
This VoIP app has proved extremely successful since its release in December 2010, with the company reaching 50 million users in February last year, 70 million users this May and finally topping 100 million today. While this may not compete with the 663 million registered users Skype boasted last year, Viber claims to currently deliver around 6 billion messages and 2 billion minutes of calls every month.
The addition of the S40 and Symbian platforms of Nokia, and Bada of Samsung, will allow people with even the lowliest of budget mobiles to make use of Viber’s services. While our latest reviews of relevant devices such as the Nokia Asha 306 and Tocco Lite 2 have been woeful at best, Viber claims this will open up over 1.5 billion more possible worldwide users.
“We are committed to our users and to our mission — to let people all over the world connect freely,” said Talmon Marco, Viber’s chief exec.
These new users, however, will not be able to take advantage of the main feature of Viber, calls — a feature admittedly of little use in places where 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity are a luxury. Instead S40, Symbian and Bada users will benefit from its text-messaging service, which will directly compete with Whatsapp on S40 and Symbian.
Along with branching out to these lower-end platforms, Viber will soon add group messaging and HD-quality calls to its current apps on iOS, Android and Windows Phone.
What do you think? are you one of these 100 million users loving your free calls? Or are you about to jump on the bandwagon with your new S40 Nokia? Leave a text message in the comments below, or over on our completely free Facebook page.
