[Infographics] South African messaging app pioneer Mxit unveils new feature-updates for its chat platform

The acquisition of WhatsApp and Viber, plus the IPO rumors of Line and WeChat have made the messaging app landscape an interesting space to watch. The South African Messaging App Mxit today announced the release of exciting new product features across key operating systems. These include Chat Cards, a Newsfeed and a brand new interface design for iOS. The Chat Cards are not available in J2ME phones yet. The company says the updates for feature phones will be coming soon.

Mxit Chat Cards

In November last year, YourStory wrote about the launch of version Mxit 7 (iOS & Android version 7) and told you about the Chat Cards feature. Chat Cards are lightweight html 5 web apps, such as games that can be sent, received and opened within conversations. The future of the mobile web is served on a platter of cards. Twitter uses cards to serve content, Google uses cards. Chat Cards are a great new way to share videos, photos, and other web content in conversations. Chat Cards innovatively enhance the chat experience by supplementing expressions, feelings and ideas that would ordinarily be described in words with Giphy cards, YouTube cards, joke cards, pick-up-lines and many more. The only other messaging app that uses cards is the Canadian Kik. Other apps like WeChat, WhatsApp and Line don’t have the feature.

Mxit News Feed

The newly-introduced Newsfeed allows users to post moments in time, and to keep track of friends’ posts. This new Newsfeed shows the evolution of Mxit from being transactional in nature where users use the platform only when they want to engage in an information exchange with someone else. As Newsfeed streams users friends’ activity it will have immersive chat experience. Facebook nailed this through the strength of its EdgeRank.

Vincent Maher, Mxit Chief Product Officer, says, “This is Mxit’s most exciting product release to date. Users can now bring all the magic of the web into Mxit with Chat Cards*, and enjoy the richest chat and networking experience possible with an array of innovative new features that make chat more fun, exciting and meaningful.” Apart from through-the-line improvements to the overall user experience on Mxit, the following key new and/or improved features will be available with this round of releases for feature phones, Android and iOS devices in April 2014.

The other updates Mxit incorporated in its app are address book integration and redesign of new iOS UI (User Interface). Address Book Integration is an integration with a phone’s address book means that it is now much easier for users to find, invite and add friends. The brand new iOS interface has crisp and simple new look makes it more intuitive for iPhone users to find their way, and make the most of their chat experience on Mxit.

 Here is an infographics on Mxit

Related: Beginning of 2014 Mxit has launched their India operation to tap in to the largest feature phone market.