“Line is more than a messaging app,” according to its US CEO Jeanie Han. Heard of it? The app launched in 2011 and now has more than 100m users, with messaging the initial draw that helped it find an audience, but that now swelled by gaming, photo-sharing and other social features. “It’s sort of like social media but it’s not too open. It’s just enough for people to feel comfortable,” Han tells TechCrunch. “So it’s more than just text messaging — you can communicate in a fun way — but without ever worrying about your identity being shared or revealed or being sold and not being too open about it.” The piece is well worth a read for its explanation of Line’s plans to get bigger in the West, with Spain already its second biggest market and a big US push under way. Snoop Dogg has become the first musician to get official branded ‘stickers’ within the Line app, some of which are being sold. “Now that we have over 100 million users, lots of companies actually want to do business with us, they love taking our calls,” says Han.
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…