This year has been a breakthrough one for mobile messaging apps, and Samsung is closing out 2012 with a major update to its own cross-platform service ChatON. The Korean electronics firm has unveiled version 2.0 which introduces a number of changes, including syncing across devices, multiple image messaging, new social features and enhanced support for tablet users.
Samsung released the chat application on Windows Phone in June which, alongside a Web-based version launched in February, made the service available on all major mobile platforms. The company says it is currently available in over 200 countries in more than 60 languages.
The biggest change lets users of the app — which rivals WhatsApp and popular Asian services like Line and WeChat — get their updates and settings synced across multiple devices. That means that, by logging in with their Samsung account, they are given access to their chat history, friend list and live chats on up to five of their devices.
Samsung has furthered the social side of the app by making improvements to the social network-like ‘My Page’ feature, that includes offline support enabling comments to be posted even when there’s no Internet connection (though they are not published until the devices goes online). Other improvements allow users to send multiple images at once, change the font in chats and send animations alongside text.
Tablets users have been given push-to-talk voice messaging, in addition to a number of other editing and settings-related changes to bring the experience close to that on smartphones.
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Here’s the full change log from the Android app on Google Play. The service is also available from the Samsung Apps store and comes pre-loaded on all of the Korean firm’s smartphones and tablets.
ChatON v2.0.5 update includes:
-Sign in with Samsung account: All connected devices receive the same message simultaneously
-Move Special buddy to More menu
-Improvement of My Page: Multiple profile images & Comment on PostON
-Change font style of chat room
-Send multiple images at once
-Send Anicon/Animessage+text[For tablets] ChatON Tablet v1.9.3 update includes:
-Walkie-talkie [push-to-talk]
-Improvement to My Page
-Add image effects
-Add group profile editing
-Add members of chat room as a group
-Add typing status
➤ ChatON | Google Play
Headline image via Jung Yeon Je / AFP / Getty Images, other image via Samsung
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