A still from Viber’s TV ad

This is the year of acquisitions. In February, Facebook snapped up WhatsApp. The same month saw another acquisition –– Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten reportedly bought messaging app Viber for $900 million.

So, how big is Viber? Well, it has more than 370 million users worldwide of which more than 20 million are in India. Besides iOS, Android, Windows and BlackBerry, the service can be used on your desktop, which makes it an instant hit. Anubhav Nayyar, country head of Viber Media Limited, walks t2 through the app using which you can send free text messages, stickers, doodles, make free HD-quality calls and speak to anybody anywhere in the world.

What is the idea behind Viber?

The main idea behind Viber is to connect people for free. We provide a cross-platform messaging, calling and content-sharing app that’s simple and easy to use.

We believe that instant messaging has evolved into richer conversations that are more than just simple text messages. For a great user experience, we have a number of features such as stickers, doodles and groups that add a fun element to conversations. To ensure ready access, Viber is available across mobile platforms, desktops and PCs.

When did Viber’s India operations begin?

It began towards the end of 2013 but the app has been available in India since 2010. Today Viber is present in 193 countries with more than 370 million users worldwide of which 20 million are in India.

With WeChat, Line and BBM allowing voice messaging, how is Viber different?

A very crucial differentiation factor that we bring to the table is the interface. Viber products are simple, clutter-free and easy to understand. We try to identify the key consumer needs and based on that we deliver a product.

Second, our availability across multiple platforms, including desktop, iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, differentiates us from other apps. Viber works seamlessly on mobile devices as well as desktops. We are constantly improving our product and we recently rolled out a new version of our desktop app, and in this era of multi-device ownership, that has really helped create a niche for us. People love the fact that they can start a conversation on the phone and continue it on their desktop and, if required, go back to their mobile.

Third, we have seen a strong trend in India where messaging needs to have emotions and it is not just about boring text conversations. For this reason our users don’t only send messages but also exchange stickers (there are India-centric ones), send locations and edit and share photos. These are some of our fastest-growing features.

Another feature that has seen tremendous growth in India is ViberOut with which you can call any number anywhere in the world at subsidised rates. If both users in a conversation have Viber, then the call is free.

Being ad-free, where does the money come from?

Viber has and will always remain ad-free. We believe that communication ought to be free and a pleasant experience. On revenue, we have two sources of income generation — Sticker Market and Viber Out. We have around 2,000 stickers, out of which close to 25 per cent are free on mobile. On desktops, close to 90 per cent of our stickers are free. The remaining sticker packs are in the price bracket of Rs 120-140. Viber Out is a paid feature.

Telecom carriers always complain of revenue loss. What is the relationship between Viber and telecom carriers?

On the contrary, in a number of countries we have partnerships with telecom carriers. Viber, like other communication apps, works on data (transmission) provided by telecom carriers. This is a natural source of revenue for all carriers.

What are some of the biggest challenges for Viber in India?

There is a huge smartphone adoption seen in India and it’s inevitable that there would be a lot of first-time users. So, the challenge lies in keeping the app simple yet innovative to cater to both the segments –– first-time users as well as the evolved and premium group.

What is the average profile of a Viber user in India?

While Viber is used across all age groups, we have seen our highest use coming from students and working professionals. The fact that we are a fun messaging app and available on mobile and PC makes us very relevant to this age group.

International call rates (in dollars)

UK
Mobile: 5.9 cents / min (Rs 3.55)
Telephone: 1.9 cents / min (Rs 1.14)
US
Mobile: 1.9 cents / min (Rs 1.14)
Telephone: 1.9 cents / min (Rs 1.14)
Australia
Mobile: 15 cents / min (Rs 9.02)
Telephone: 2.3 cents / min (Rs 1.38)
Canada
Mobile: 1.9 cents / min (Rs 1.14)
Telephone: 1.9 cents / min (Rs 1.14)
Singapore
Mobile: 1.9 cents / min (Rs 1.14)
Telephone: 1.9 cents / min (Rs 1.14)

V for viber

Initial release:
December 2, 2010
Global subscriber base:
Over 370 million
Subscriber base in India:
Over 20 million
Platform: iOS, Android, Windows, BlackBerry and desktop
Founded by: Talmon Marco, Igor Megzinik, Sani Maroli and Ofer Smocha
Present owner: In February 2014, Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten bought it for $900 million

Gone in five seconds

A thought that must have crossed your mind if you were eyeing Xiaomi’s Mi3 smartphone on Flipkart on Tuesday –– Randall (Nicolas Cage) was way slow in Gone In 60 Seconds. Considered by some the “Apple of China”, the phone was sold out in five seconds flat on Flipkart during a flash sale. For Tuesday’s sale, 100,000 pre-registered customers logged on but click, it was all gone. Though Flipkart and Xiaomi are yet to announce how many units were up for grabs but during the first sale, which was held last week, 10,000 units were on offer according to industry insiders.

So, what makes this one the apple of everyone’s eye? It looks sexy and comes with amazing specs –– Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 8274AB CPU,
13-megapixel back camera (2 MP front), 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory and five-inch full HD display. And it comes at an amazing price:
Rs 13,999. Well, try your luck on August 5 because Flipkart is accepting pre-registrations once again.