Line loses users across Southeast Asia

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Messaging app Line is seeing users flee across Southeast Asia. In Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia, which are the social network’s top three countries outside its native Japan, it lost 2 million active users from July to September, according to Line’s latest earnings report.

With little uptake around the rest of the world as Facebook and Snapchat boom, Line only added users – 1 million – in Japan.

Line did not reveal its global total when asked today by Tech in Asia – a figure that’s been in decline all year:

Line’s profits also fell dramatically – down 42 percent in the year – in the July to September quarter, caused in part by a 19 percent hike in operating expenses. Revenue climbed 18 percent.

Despite the growing antipathy towards its main social network, many of Line’s spin-off apps are doing well, with a growing pool of active users for Line News (60 million), Line Live (33 million), and a rising crescendo of ker-chings on Line Manga, Line Music, and Line Shopping, the Tokyo-based firm said yesterday. Line’s phone payment service, Pay, saw record transactions thanks to booming usage in Taiwan.

Elsewhere in Line’s web empire, it’s busy rolling out a line of smart speakers that are equipped with its Siri-esque assistant, Clova.

See: Line CTO Park Euivin on how she juggles projects

This post Line loses users across Southeast Asia appeared first on Tech in Asia.

from Tech in Asia https://www.techinasia.com/line-loses-users-southeast-asia
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