Mxit messaging app arrives in India: Can it trouble WhatsApp?

Trying to bring the heat to WhatsApp in India, African cross-platform messaging app and mobile social network has come to the country. The app was launched officially in India on Wednesday.

Mxit is available for download on not just smartphone OSes like Android, iOS, Windows Phone and BlackBerry, but is also available on Java and Symbian platforms. The company says that over 8,000 different feature phones, smartphones and tablets can run the application. Its USP is the fact that it can work on basic-data enabled feature phones too and can run on even plain-old 2G connections.

The app comes across a mix of multiple mobile based cross-platform messaging apps and social networks like WhatsApp and WeChat. Mxit borrows design elements from WhatsApp heavily, including the double tick to send and receive messages. Unlike WhatsApp, though, you can create a complete social networking profile on the app.

You can also use apps and games inside Mxit on your phones. It also provides for allowing business and NGOs a platform on the service. Organisations can set up and personalise the platforms from communicate with each other on it, says the company. There are a few mobile education, healthcare and community apps available on the service too.

You can send chat messages of up to 2,048 characters and the company aims to make Mxit a viable replacement for SMS, especially for users with feature phones. Mxit has appointed former South African cricketer, Gary Kirsten, as its brand ambassador in India. Having coached the Indian cricket team on its way to winning the World Cup, Kirsten now has a pretty huge fan following in the country. To capitalise on this, Mxit also has a Gary Kirsten app on the service, using which you can ask him questions and get replies.

To check out a list of platforms Mxit is available on, you can head on to the company’s website.