Sochat Announces Out of Beta Release
Apr 29, 2016, 01:58 ET
SAN FRANCISCO, April 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sochat (https://www.sochat.com), a fast-growing new mobile messaging app, today announced its coming out of beta release. Sochat includes a wave of unprecedented chat features like Magic Words (keywords that let users share different types of messages) together with intelligent connecting features that display friends and users nearby. Sochat aims to redefine the chat experience in America, striking a chord through its unique combination of features and its easy-to-use interface.
"At Sochat we learned a lot from our beta tests at schools like Harvard, and have taken that feedback to engineer the best slate of features in messaging," said Lukens Orthwein, Sochat Founder and CEO. "We designed the app with America in mind, and want to be the messaging platform that finally moves people off of iMessage and SMS here."
Magic Words
Sochat's intuitive Magic Words serve to further differentiate it from messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, and Snapchat. Users simply begin typing any of the special words and a button will appear.
Want to share a location? Start typing "here," "location," or "place." How about send a YouTube video? "Youtube" allows you to search and send any video you want. What about challenging your friend to a game of rock, paper, scissors? "Rock" is the special word.
"Our Magic Words provide users with an enormous diversity of communication tools not offered anywhere else. We are launching initially with 15 of these new message types, and will continue to expand on this distinct feature," said Ryan Burke, Sochat Vice President.
Intelligent Nearby
Sochat's nearby technology makes it extremely easy to connect with both old and new friends. Gone is the friction of trading numbers or even removing your phone from a pocket or purse.
The app displays other users in the same room or in your city, and also remembers who you've bumped into, making connections otherwise impossible, possible. Sochat also offers the ability to match with people you don't know through "Swipe Chats." Anytime two people "Like" each other on Sochat, they are dropped into a chat as a fun way to connect.
Unlike iMessage or Whatsapp, where exchanging phone numbers and adding new people is a cumbersome process, Sochat displays everyone nearby, and lets you search for users by name, username, or phone number. Adding contacts and creating group chats is effortless.
Group Chats
Group chats on Sochat are unlimited in size and support an extensive list of features. Polls, events, emoji reactions, GIF support, and other functions work together to make group conversations both fun and productive.
Creating groups and adding friends couldn't be easier as each group has its own invite link. This unique link can be sent to anyone via text or email, even if they're not a Sochat user, and adds invitees directly to the group once they have the app.
America's Chat App
Sochat's mission is to usher America into the modern age of messaging. Sochat CEO Orthwein draws extensively from his background in China, where he founded and led WeChat's Growth Team, helping bring the messaging giant from its early days to over 500 million active users.
Seeing his American friends and family trading phone numbers and using outdated texting solutions inspired Orthwein to build a chat app for America.
The fragmented and backwards state of messaging in America gives Sochat hope for the future. U.S. teens surveyed on technology habits reported 85.6% daily usage of SMS, topping all other daily technology habits in America, including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat, according to research by Niche. Daily Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Kik only represent a small fraction of usage for teens in the U.S. While the rest of the world is predominantly using mobile messaging apps, even the most tech savvy demographic in the U.S. is overwhelmingly still sending SMS, highlighting the big opportunity in the American market for Sochat.
About Sochat
Sochat lets you chat for free with friends, groups or anyone you meet, really easily. The simple and powerful messaging platform is available for both iOS and Android. Founded in 2014, Sochat is headquartered in San Francisco, California and is funded by Eniac Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, Greylock Partners, Allen Zhang of WeChat, Slow Ventures, Foundation Capital, Betaworks, Maiden Lane, and Steven Sinofsky of Andreessen Horowitz.
For more information please visit https://www.sochat.com or follow @SochatApp on Instagram and Twitter.
Press Contact
Ryan Burke
VP of Marketing & Business Development
Sochat
Sochat ID: ranboke
[email protected]
Video - http://youtu.be/wWW1PH2NtIQ
SOURCE Sochat