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Not really. Line is a fork of Kakaotalk but now these two dont have much in common. Line is also quite successful in Thailand and Taiwan.

solarmist 4y ago
Also Japan. But No, I mean the first widely used app that does all kinds of different things. Not literally a predecessor.
numpad0 4y ago
LINE was a clone, not a fork. I'm not sure about timeline of superapps/in-app-apps though, I ... think mobage(moba-gay not mob-age) for i-mode phones, was one early example of a portal with messaging + apps. LINE replicated that with iOS apps, but more generic apps were only implemented in 2019. Either examples were rather simplistic games only. Bot-based text interfaces similar to various SMS self-serve systems existed for LINE, but I believe those were not offered as apps. WeChat might have been influenced by those predecessors, but as far as I can see, in-app mini-apps are understood to be a phenomenon originating in China and Southeast Asia, even in Japan. So it might be a stretch to call it a predecessor or pioneer in superapp, more like one of precursors.
- lifthrasiir 4y ago
  I think you are pretty much right on all counts, probably except for the very definition of super-apps. I think the original article used the term for an app that can serve for multiple purposes, not necessarily open to 3rd parties. If we follow this definition Kakaotalk or LINE are definitely super apps, but WeChat can be considered as the second generation super app. (Third party apps in Kakaotalk or LINE are still pretty limited in this aspect to my knowledge. Kakaotalk in particular seems to have assimiliated any third-party interaction into its chatting platform.)
- solarmist 4y ago
  Ah, yeah. Precursor is a better word.
- presentation 4y ago
  Is is a super app now though. I’m booking medical appointments, paying people and ordering at restaurants through LINE these days. PayPay has similar goals but doesn’t seem to be there quite yet.
deleted 4y ago
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solarmist 4y ago

Also Japan. But No, I mean the first widely used app that does all kinds of different things. Not literally a predecessor.

numpad0 4y ago

LINE was a clone, not a fork. I'm not sure about timeline of superapps/in-app-apps though, I ... think mobage(moba-gay not mob-age) for i-mode phones, was one early example of a portal with messaging + apps. LINE replicated that with iOS apps, but more generic apps were only implemented in 2019. Either examples were rather simplistic games only. Bot-based text interfaces similar to various SMS self-serve systems existed for LINE, but I believe those were not offered as apps. WeChat might have been influenced by those predecessors, but as far as I can see, in-app mini-apps are understood to be a phenomenon originating in China and Southeast Asia, even in Japan. So it might be a stretch to call it a predecessor or pioneer in superapp, more like one of precursors.

lifthrasiir 4y ago
I think you are pretty much right on all counts, probably except for the very definition of super-apps. I think the original article used the term for an app that can serve for multiple purposes, not necessarily open to 3rd parties. If we follow this definition Kakaotalk or LINE are definitely super apps, but WeChat can be considered as the second generation super app. (Third party apps in Kakaotalk or LINE are still pretty limited in this aspect to my knowledge. Kakaotalk in particular seems to have assimiliated any third-party interaction into its chatting platform.)
solarmist 4y ago
Ah, yeah. Precursor is a better word.
presentation 4y ago
Is is a super app now though. I’m booking medical appointments, paying people and ordering at restaurants through LINE these days. PayPay has similar goals but doesn’t seem to be there quite yet.

deleted 4y ago

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