Hike, the messaging app backed by SoftBank Group Corp. that aimed to compete against WhatsApp in India, shuts down and vanished from app stores on Monday.
The startup valued at $1.4 billion in a 2016 funding round announced its app will be going off the air earlier this month without explanation.
In the year 2012 when Hike was launched, its popularity surged and reached new heights. But after some time, it starts falling because foreign messaging apps like WhatsApp have influenced people globally.
Hike had close to 100 million registered users and also supported 10 regional Indian languages. Even though the app is shutting down, HikeMoji will still be available in its other services, he added.
The app started by Kavin Bharti Mittal has failed over several years to displace Facebook Inc’s rival app as India’s go-to venue for social media and mobile communications. India remains WhatsApp’s largest market globally.
Hike, backed also by Chinese WeChat-operator Tencent Holdings Ltd, has in recent years ventured into adjacent areas such as no-frills phones and expanded even into spheres such as mobile entertainment.
On January 6, Kavin Bharti Mittal – son of Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman of Bharti Airtel Ltd. announced the closure of Hike StickerChat.
“Today we’re announcing that we will be sunsetting Sticker Chat in Jan’21. We thank you all for giving us your trust. We wouldn’t be here without you,” he wrote on Twitter.
His company will continue to develop its Vibe social media app and work on a new gaming product called Rush, he said.
11/ Finally → StickerChat by hike.
Millions of users spending 35 mins / day.
A very loyal user base that has been a fantastic launchpad for us to bring our innovations to the market → HikeMoji & HikeLand.
— Kavin Bharti Mittal (@kavinbm) January 6, 2021
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