Line, the messaging app with around 200 million monthly users, is embracing bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to fend off increased competition from Facebook and others. The Japanese company has announced the creation of a new financial services division which will spearhead a move into cryptocurrencies and other services including loans and insurance. Line already operates […]
Line Corporation, the Japanese subsidiary of South Korean internet company Naver Corporation, has entered into a ‘capital alliance’ with investment management firm Folio, which will see its service integrated into the Line messaging app. Following a Line investment in Folio, the pair will work to implement the service on the Line app – which now […]
Twitter has begun testing a feature which enables users to privately save tweets that interest them to look at later. News of the feature – which is called ‘Bookmarks’ – first surfaced in October, when Twitter product manager Jesar Shah revealed a prototype of the feature. Back then, it was dubbed ‘save for later’. For Hack Week […]
Messaging service Line will total 50.2 million individuals in Japan this year, according to eMarketer’s latest forecast, increasing 10.3% from 2016. By the end of 2021, that user figure will reach 58.5 million. The homegrown service is the largest chat app in Japan, with 92.8% of the country’s mobile phone messaging app users regularly accessing […]
Mobile advertising firm Taptica announced on July 17, that it agreed to acquire 57 percent of Adinnovation Inc for up to $5.7 million in cash, the first Israeli acquisition of a Japanese mobile ad company. Following the opening of Taptica’s office in Seoul in 2016, and together with its presence in China, the acquisition is […]
The traditional wall calendar has been given a high-tech upgrade, thanks to a clever use of electronic ink from a Japanese inventor. Created by Japanese designer Kosho Tsuboi, the Magic Calendar looks like it’s made of paper, but is actually a subtle smart screen. The calendar, currently only in prototype stage, works as an e-paper […]
Japanese instant messaging platform Line has launched a messaging platform for the workplace, as it looks to do battle with the likes of Slack, Facebook and Microsoft. According to Tech in Asia, Line Works is a paid service, after a free 30-day trial, with subscriptions ranging from $2.70 to $8.90 per user per month. It […]
IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) and the JIAA (Japan Interactive Advertising Association) announced that JIAA is becoming the 43rd national IAB licensee. It will be known as IAB Japan (JIAA). Led by Yoshio Takada, who serves as JIAA’s Chairperson, the newly IAB-affiliated trade organization will work with IAB to drive common goals, promote global standards and […]
Tinder has launched ‘Swipe the Vote’, an in-app experience created in partnership with non-profit organisation Rock the Vote, intended to activate voters for the impending US election. The dating app will present users with a simple poll, created using polling platform Wedgies, which asks them to swipe left or right on seven key issues, and to pick the candidate they intend to vote […]
Mobile messaging app Line has announced a series of new features that will give businesses and developers the ability to create chatbots. As well as creating new technology and opening up to the developer community via a new messaging API, Line will be actively encouraging people to build valuable chatbots via a financial reward. The […]