Google to launch own mobile chat app: Economic Times

(Reuters) – Software giant Google Inc plans to launch a mobile messaging app it is likely to test in India and other emerging markets, the Economic Times newspaper reported on Friday, citing sources.

The daily said Google was in the early stages of development of the app, which will not make it mandatory to use a Google login.

If launched, the mobile app will compete in the mobile chat space with the likes of WhatsApp, Line and Hike.

The Mountain View, California-based company is also looking at localization, by adding Indian language support and voice-to-text messaging, the newspaper said.(bit.ly/1mXn7Kj)

A Google spokeswoman said the company did not comment on speculation.

(Reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee in Mumbai; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)