Mobile messaging apps from Asia you must know about: KakaoTalk, WeChat, Cubie

Updated: 8 October 2012

Among the pack of instant messaging apps in the market, Whatsapp is probably the alpha wolf, with a user base that’s estimated to be in the tens of millions. It also announced that it was sending one billion messages in a single day in end October last year.

But all top dogs will be dethroned or removed, and in a wide open market, the challenger can come from anywhere. Asia is one of those places.

Here, we feature three of the apps arising out of the continent that have proven user traction, and have a shot at being numero uno. For all we know, they might already be on top.

1) Kakao Talk: Whatsapp and Skype combined

Launched by South Korean company Kakao, the free app recently enabled users to call one another using an Internet connection, like Skype. Popular in its country of origin, the company will launch a game center service and has already signed up a number of developers. It also has fun voice filters that make you sound like a monster or alien.

About 100 entertainment brands and some Korean K-Pop singers are using the app to push music and content to fans — nudging fans of the genre to download the app. It hopes to extend its reach in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Traction: It has skyrocketed to reach 45 million users in end May, with 36 million coming from South Korea (update: they’ve broken the 50 million mark). 21 million of those users log-in daily, an impressive-sounding figure. In January, it was processing one billion messages a day, but by end May, the figure has jumped to 1.3 billion (note: Whatsapp had one billion last year).

Monetization: They aim to connect users with relevant brands and content. Users pick the services or offers they want to follow, and Kakao Talk collects a cut of the revenue generated.

Available on: iPhone, Android, Bada, and Blackberry (catering to Indonesian users). Windows Phone version is imminent.

Funding: The company has received US$80M in funding from Chinese internet giant Tencent and Korean gaming company WeMade.

2) WeChat: Record and send, instead of text

The app debuted in China in early 2011, and has gone on a roll since. Developed by Internet giant Tencent, WeChat (called Weixin in China) is unique in that it has a push-to-record feature. Instead of typing, users can opt to record a voice message and send it to their friends.