Line?

[Flashermac]

The Thais seem to be crazy about Line, which apparently is a free texting service. Is it worth using and should I load it onto my phone? I get asked fairly often it I'm on Line and get strange looks when I say no.

[drogon]

Line seems awfully popular in Thailand and the Philippines...I suppose the main reason is it doubles as a social network and it also has a huge number of users.

Basically free calls to other line users.

 

About Thailand I can only say (not having been there for quite a few years) that when I downloaded the app to communicate more easily with a Bangkok condo owner I did my reasearch about the app and discovered it was hugely popular in Thailand, especially among younger people.

 

About the Philippines which I can talk more having worked there not too long ago.

- Very popular due to being free if calling other line users.

- Popular among s** tourists and of course GRO-bargirls.

 

The security is almost nonexistent compared to viber or whatsapp.

 

Edited thanks to updated input from Radioman

Edited May 17, 2018 by drogon

[radioman]

Video calls work fine on LINE.

For most normal people LINE and WhatsApp are essentially indistinguishably interchangeable. Both are messaging apps with extras. LINE has no end to end encryption, so if you're up to dodgy stuff I guess that's not the one you want. LINE does have cute liccle picture-gram catooony type images that you can download and send to others, some are anmiated, some even have cutesy sound bites.

 

Both include voice calls, video calls, voice messages, emojis, photo and video clip sharing, group chats, etc.

 

LINE is Japanese

WhatsApp is Zuckerberg

 

Oh yeah, Viber, Telegram, Messenger, plus a few others are similar though none have the same market penetration.

Japan and Thailand = LINE, ROW = WhatsApp, seems to be the split.

[My Penis is hungry]

What happened to ICQ?

[migrant]

The wife put line on my phone (thanks honey??!!). I've never used it, but then I don't do a lot of calls/texts. Those I do communicate with I have regular text and instant msgr.

 

Saying that EVERY Thai I meet, if we exchange numbers, asks if I have line. Not just social, but businesses too. I know the wife uses it a lot.

[passingthru69]

My wife uses it here in the states to call or msg

Friends and family in Thailand

She ided it one my .mobile also

Cut out mobile bill down quite a bit. I use it to talk with my one buddy in the Philippines

[Flashermac]

Thanks all. Now if I can just remember where it was that I saw to download Line...

[radioman]

If you have an Android phone go to the Play Store app and search LINE.

[Flashermac]

Ah, thanks. I thought Play Store was just games.

[Mekong]

Line is a game to some