Until relatively recently, the mobile operators have a profitable business based on text messages. Factors such as the increasing number of smartphone users, greater use of social networks and the proliferation of mobile apps have destroyed most of the business so that the operators are trying to take steps to re-enter that market although it remains to be seen the effectiveness thereof.
An example of what we talk about is Joyn, an instant messaging service that was launched earlier this year and now with the return to the fray Movistar, Orange and Vodafone. Joyn offers users the ability to exchange text messages or share files and images and aims to compete with services like WhatsApp, something that seems very complicated at least right now because the service is not mature enough to deal with alternatives available in the market.
And that compete with products as introduced in the market as WhatsApp or Skype is difficult especially when the new competitor comes with many limitations. For example, right now Joyn is only available to Android so starting is leaving aside to users of other operating systems like iOS, Windows or BlackBerry.
Furthermore, the operation of the service is tied to this small number of companies so either can be used to communicate with users of other operators.
In view of all these disadvantages seems complicated that someone left on the sidelines as WhatsApp applications, Line or Skype to make the leap to Joyn although we’ll see how the application evolves. In the future it is possible that Joyn come pre-installed on mobile phones and that may be a way to be done with users, especially those who first used a mobile device and could use this application simply because it is already installed and do not have knowledge or desire to install a different one.