ByteDance Launches Social Platform LetsChat in Africa
LetsChat is a free online messaging application designed for young African users, developed by Zebra Technology. According to a report by Chinese media outlet The Passage on Thursday, the team behind this app is actually part of Beijing-based tech firm and TikTok owner ByteDance.
The earliest version of LetsChat was launched in March 2021. According to Google Store data, the number of installations has exceeded one million. In addition to sending messages, users can create group chats, use voice stickers and emojis through LetsChat.
Possibly to cater to African teens, the app specifically emphasizes its own voice stickers and emoji features. More importantly, as a newly launched app, LetsChat has no pop-up advertisements or subscription fees at all.
According to comments within the Google Store, this app is now in the promotional stage. “You can get 40M of mobile data by using LetsChat,” one user commented. Free mobile data is helping LetsChat win the favor of teenagers across the region.
Mobile data costs in Africa are generally high. According to 2021 statistics, the maximum cost of 1G traffic in the continent can reach $6.44.
The launch of LetsChat by ByteDance is inseparable from the great success of TikTok in the local area and the social market in Africa. The number of internet users in the world is rapidly approaching 4.5 billion, most of which come from emerging economies, especially in Africa. The continent has a large population with a high proportion of young people. Digital social tools and products have strong vitality in Africa.
According to the research results of a British company called Global Web Index (GWI), the average time spent on social media in Africa is higher than the global average of 2 hours and 26 minutes per day. Among them, Nigerians spend the most time on social media every day, reaching 3 hours and 45 minutes.