MESSAGING APP: MUST HAVE CHAT FEATURES

The technological tsunami carries us faster and faster to the “new reality” of best chat app features: AI-powered technologies, machine learning, neural networks, self-driving cars, uncrewed aerial vehicles, blockchain—this list increases at a breathtaking speed. Get ready to build a messaging app because tomorrow is now.

Last few years have revolutionized the way people interact, prompting us to turn to applications that assist in remaining connected during times of uncertainty.

Hence, if you are a beginner and want to grasp messaging apps’ functionality from the ground up, I have a list of essential characteristics that you should take into account to build a secure chat app.

WHY DO PEOPLE USE MESSAGING APPS?

Mobile chat app development is gaining traction. A stand-alone or embedded software program may be used to exchange real-time communications known as instant messaging (IM) or IM’ing. The chat apps features differ from email in the immediacy of the message exchange. IMs tend to be short and session-based, with a beginning and an end.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most prevalent messaging apps:

Discord

Since the very beginning, only gamers have been using this platform. However, it is now a terrific space for communication for people with diverse needs. For example, I know a company that developed educational courses about E-commerce. They use Discord as a platform to communicate with their students. 

A company creates group chats for people learning something new, and they can support each other or deal with complicated tasks together. Also, there are private chats with curators who help students deal with specific issues or answer questions. Discord also allows you to create channels, send files, host events, use video and audio conversations, and respond to messages.

Slack

A great place to communicate with colleges. A company or organization can buy a subscription and use the full separate space for collaborative work . That is particularly cool for those who prefer not to unify their work and private lives. The main feature is texting others and creating group chats.

Additional features are voice messages, video, and audio calls (called huddles), sharing screens during meetings, reacting to messages with cool emojis (that always make work processes a bit funnier), sending files and GIFs, and even adding Google Calendar to the platform so others can see whether you have a call or you are busy out of office.

Facebook Messenger App

You may not have noticed that today’s Messenger is a separate app from Facebook Messenger, as people can download it to their phones separately from the Facebook app. Hence, maybe it’s not totally correct to call it Facebook Messenger, but now you have a clue, and I hope it makes more sense.

I don’t use Messenger daily, but it’s a popular application around the globe. We’ve all ever used this application to text family members or make a video call with someone. Among other features, Messenger allows you to create group chats, share files, search specific information in dialogs, and even play games (wow).

WhatsApp

Many users around the world actively use this application. Since over 2 billion people utilize the app, determining which country uses WhatsApp the most is difficult. Messenger provides all the basic features, like texting or reacting with emojis. But the thing is, it has an end-to-end encryption feature that secures communication, keeps messages private and prevents them from being hacked.

Telegram

This application is widely used in Eastern Europe and has a large user base. Telegram is very straightforward to use, and its main plus is security. People feel safe while discussing sensitive topics via this app. You can send text, video, and audio messages; pictures with a timer that won’t be visible after the time is gone; sort your chats by folders; and clear your character history as just for you as for your interlocutor. In the paid version of the app, users can also convert audio messages into text, use special sticker packs, and speed up the downloading time of files.

Aside from these ones, a number of messaging applications are gaining popularity in specific regions:

• Viber has a considerable presence in Europe, appearing as the number one choice in four countries-Belarus, Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia.
• Line is still popular in Asia, especially in Japan and Thailand.
• KakaoTalk is only accessible in South Korea, so it is one of the most popular apps there.

Interaction with external or internal customers, end users, employees is essential for any business. Hence, chat applications weigh a lot. They help keep in touch with workers and disseminate information quickly. To use them effectively, you need a solid communication platform.

In today’s quickly changing world, a good chat app is no longer enough. Messengers with additional value are becoming more common. People love to call, email, share images, and communicate in a group chat. So they need to be confident in the security of the service while doing all these things. Successful apps have already got new features of messenger 2023, let’s revise some new and the ones I mentioned above:

• Signal or Telegram—focus on safety and speed;
• Hangouts—an HD video, voice & text communication system integrated into Google+ and Gmail;
• Slack—all in one manageable business system;
• Skype—a video conference tool;
• Discord—a social network for gamers.

Developing a messaging app like Snapchat or Telegram in today’s competitive industry is challenging. But there is always a chance to triumph for distinctiveness. The hardest part is to specify that gap where exactly you can “fit” to win. With that in mind, start by discovering the key players in the chat app field and determining your competitors.  Make a list of the essential chatting app features and functions you want in your chat app before you start developing it. 

WHAT ARE THE CHAT FEATURES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR APP?

1. ENCRYPTION & ONLINE PRIVACY

Taking care of privacy is critical, beginning with the gigabytes of data people transmit over communication apps. To ensure the safety and security of the information, you must have relevant data protection procedures. This is especially important when dealing with major organizations’ private data, which is loaded, transmitted, and stored on a regular basis.

Here the End-To-End encryption appears. New advanced features for messenger guarantee all your messages and their receivers have the keys to decode their content and make it very difficult for any third party to read.

End-to-End Encryption is a communication system. It only allows access to communication and reading the messages of the mainly involved users. Different types of messaging apps frequently change their cryptographic keys for further protection. A true backdoor for hackers might be created by a messenger for a bank or cryptocurrency messenger.

Encryption has become a vital feature in today’s apps that influences the choice of a messenger. Signal is a great example; the app is widespread among officials, deputies, the military, and people who worry about safety. In instant messaging apps, encryption is essential because it provides online privacy and secures sensitive information.

2. CLOUD & DATA SYNCHRONIZATION

Cloud storage or synchronization is a feature for people who use the app from many different devices. The users who misplace their phones still have access to chat history and files when using the same phone number or email address.

Cloud synchronization includes saving pictures, files, and audio in different locations. When a user modifies a file on one device, the changes are automatically synced to all other copies.

Messages, chat histories, and files are securely kept in the cloud, guaranteeing a person can access them at any time and from any location where an internet connection is available.

3. DATA PERSISTENCE FOR OFFLINE USAGE

These features on the messenger platform can save users’ battery. The mobile application with full support of offline mode is escalating at a higher rate. So, how to build this feature into your chat application?

Creating a safe and secure environment that individuals of all ages and backgrounds can use is the main point of such a messenger. Develop an app that will work effectively even in offline mode or adopt the offline capability to allow people to have a flexible mobile app experience when the internet connection is slow or not working. Look what advantages this chat feature can bring to users:

Your app’s offline mode offers several benefits:

• No roaming cost when you are traveling as all the files can be cached.
• No monthly data usage on maps.
• Quick loading time.

4. BOTS

These are small special features of instant messaging software that are embedded in chats or public channels to perform a specific function.

The purpose of bots:

• Usage of self-destructing statuses to manage communities and blogs.
• Automated assistance with registration and other concerns.
• Custom chatbots that you can create by using the open-source frameworks, etc.

Chatbots are “helpers” that interact with people through text messages. The communication with them is very straightforward since they use natural language to deal with issues and provide answers. 

Telegram was one of the first messengers to introduce its bot platform. Its chatbots have the capability to carry out a range of tasks, including providing a list of stores to order products from, delivering the latest global news, and handling complex tasks. By incorporating this feature apps like Telegram can distinguish themselves from other messaging platforms. providing

5. PUSH NOTIFICATIONS

Push notifications are a must-have for messaging apps. They let users check new messages instantly and communicate directly with the app provider. These notifications also inform users about new text they receive.

If you want to make the user experience even better, try adding a function that notifies people when friends or favorite contacts come online, when messages are received and read, and when contacts start responding. Consider adding the “unread” function. It’s helpful when someone accidentally reads a message but needs to respond later to avoid forgetting. Adding these features to your app will attract more users and encourage them to use it.

6. CROSS PLATFORM SOLUTION

Do not develop a messenger exclusively for a single platform, whether web or mobile. It may limit your reach to the target audience. Although many users have transitioned to mobile apps, it’s essential to remember the potential of other devices. A recommended approach is to create versions for web browsers, desktops, and mobile platforms at the very least, and later, consider implementing versions for smart devices and tablets through subsequent updates.

APP FEATURES THAT DRIVE THE MARKET

VR AND AR TECHNOLOGIES

Technology experts predict that virtual reality (VR) development will be a major force in the next few years. The commercial market is just about to explode. In the fintech, healthcare, education, military and architectural industries, this technology is a great method for businesses to get their products and services into the hands of potential clients.

PROS:

• With AR technology, you can make users feel closer to their friends. Users can communicate with one another in a real time messaging app through video chat. The next level of interaction is sharing the view and adding cool AR effects.
• Users can add new friends, create the AR rooms, do video calls and doodle in each other’s space.
• AR helps customers visualize virtual versions of products in their own homes instantly.
• AR apps have tremendous scope for application in industries like medicine, retail, travel, and entertainment.
• With VR people can create and share their own social virtual worlds. Apps with VR technology can be a new way of communication.

CONS:

• You need a lot of financial resources and technical expertise to implement this technology. A better knowledge of how people may utilize virtual or augmented surroundings will lead to the development of more “natural” techniques of interaction and exploration in virtual space. Hence, this market is still waiting for a killer app, and this is an excellent opportunity for startups and running businesses to find their niche.

E-WALLET

Adding a payment SDK to your chat app will improve the experience of current app users and attract new ones:

PROS:

• It allows users to complete payments quickly and easily with their smartphones.
• People can pay for the goods in the stores and cafes while chatting with friends.
• It fulfills the full range of payment scenarios that your customers may encounter.
• Service can expand and optimize the O2O consumption experience, providing professional internet solutions for traditional brick-and-mortar businesses.
• Payment operations can use chatbots.

CONS:

• Possible issues with canceling payments.
• Users should be careful about how they give and receive money, particularly in group conversations, since data mining and analysis may be done in unforeseen ways.

Technology Stack in iOS and Android Messaging App Development

When you decide to create messaging apps, it’s essential to handle significant amounts of personal information securely to prevent any data leaks. Therefore, you need to be well-informed not only about messaging app features. You should also know how to create a favorable environment for the development process with all its nuances.

Get to Know The Technologies Behind Chat App Features

To ensure secure log-ins, users can authorize their accounts through third-party APIs. The Nexmo API is used for authentication via phone numbers, while Facebook SDK and Twitter Kit tools keep social media account log-ins safe.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology makes it possible to do voice and video calling. Communication between servers and the mobile app is facilitated through WebSockets, ensuring the secure transmission of message data. Additionally, various databases store other types of data.

How to Decide on a Hybrid or Native Type of Application?

If you want to build an Android messaging app - use Java and Kotlin programming languages. When talking about iOS chat apps - use Swift and Objective C, particularly for native apps.

If you are new to this business, start with developing native apps to ensure a more secure and polished service, which is crucial for chat app development. However, cross-platform (hybrid) apps offer faster and easier development options.

DASHDEVS: CREATE YOUR APP WITH RELIABLE PARTNER

DashDevs has considerable expertise in mobile app development. Captivating concepts are not meant to be stored just for the records. As a result, we create digital assets that will accelerate and amplify ideas that are worthy of spreading.

We have great experience working with both Native and React Native projects. DashDevs team understands the importance of considering the specifics of the app. The key features of most mobile chat apps are defined depending on the world’s tendencies and the additional value you want to bring to users with your messenger.

Today, we can take your concept and bring it to life using a combination of high-level project management techniques, industry best practices, and a scientific approach.

If you want to create a product that matters—start at the very beginning and find a reliable partner first. DashDevs can be your perfect match.

FAQ

What are chat features for Android Apps?

If you are wondering how to create live chat app, here is a list of chat features Android apps have:

• Sign up/ Login
• Push Notifications
• Profile Customization
• App Settings
• Text Chat
• Audio/Video Calls
• Message Disappearing
• Contact Syncing
• File Transfer
• Two-Step Authentication.

What is the Best Chatting App for Android?

Dingtone is one of the best voice chat app for Android available on the chat play store. It does, however, appear to strike a fair balance. If you choose Dingtone among the best chatroom apps, it will provide you with a dedicated phone number in your area code. You may also call mobiles from over 200 countries and use it on Android, chatting vs texting features included.

What is Chat Messaging on Android?

The primary advantage of Rich Communication Services versus SMS—and the reason this one was adopted in the first place—is that it allows individuals to send rich, authenticated texts. This implies that messages will be capable of carrying greater info, allowing users to send promotional messages, pictures, videos, and audio to each other.