Japanese messaging app, Line, has made a call service available for users to call landlines and mobile phones with prices lower than those currently being charged by landline companies and cellular networks. This officially puts the Japanese company in competition with services like Skype.

whatsapp vs lineWhatsApp and Line are lacing up their gloves to get in the ring with Skype in the messaging and calling space / © AndroidPIT

The service, which is called Line Call, is now live on Android devices in Japan, Columbia, Mexico, Peru, the United States, Spain, Thailand and the Philippines. Users in these countries can choose to make free calls to other users of the Line service or they can make low cost calls to landlines and mobile phones. The company says that an iPhone version of the app is in the works at the moment and more countries will be added to the list once “call quality tests have been passed.”

You can have a look at the price table which shows a list of countries and regions where the calling service is likely to be expanded to.

Users are able to purchase call credit, take up a monthly plan, or use Line coins for call credit.

Line is now venturing into space which has long been dominated by Microsoft’s Skype. Line is the first company making the move to differentiate itself from the competition and Microsoft should be threatened given that Line claims to have about 360 million global users registered on its service.

WhatsApp could perhaps be next in line to step into the ring with Line and Skype. Following the announcement of the $19 billion acquisition by Facebook, WhatsApp founder Jan Koum added that Voice Calling would be added to the platform in the second quarter of 2014.

Which company do you think will win the messaging wars? Please vote in our online poll and leave a comment below.

Icon LINE: Free Calls & Messages INSTALL Which company do you think will come out on top in the messaging app war? Facebook w/ WhatsApp Microsoft w/ Skype Line Apple w/ imessenger Google w/ Hangouts (Only one selection allowed)

 


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