One might wonder what makes LINE particularly popular, while there is a diverse range of social services out there.
The main reason will be the fact that LINE specifically caters to smartphone users. It is also available on cell phone and other mobile devices. Existing free voice and video call services like Skype were for early adopters of the Internet, who mostly used personal computers. But the rise of the smartphone has popularized the cyber world at a frenzied pace, and also altered market needs.
"When the market shifts, there arises a niche. We tapped the niche at lightning speed," said Jun Masuda, chief strategy & marketing officer of NHN Japan. The preparation period for the app launch was just six weeks. During the period, the company invented the messaging service with its intuitive, finger-based input.
In the two months after the launch, the user count surged in Middle East nations, thanks to the app's ease of use. The company eventually added new features like free voice calls, fun stickers and other non-text items, winning over smartphone users, mainly consisting of young people.