Instant messaging platform 'Hike' launches free group calling

Instant messaging platform Hike on Friday launched a first of its kind service that would allow users free group calling on the app connecting up to 100 people at the same time.

"The introduction of this feature will allow hike users to make free group calls with the press of a single button once inside a group chat. Consumers can get this feature by upgrading to the latest version of hike 4.0.4, which is vailable free on the Google Play Store starting Friday," the company said in statement.

Recently, the Bharti Softbank (the joint venture between Bharti Group and Japan's Softbank)-backed messaging app has released a flurry of new features which include free stickers in local languages, data transfer option upto 100 MB and making the platform 4G ready, to expand its consumer base in the country which is over 35 million.

Other popular rivals like Whatsapp and Viber have a user base of 900 million and over 40 million respectively.

"Many of us at hike were quite frustrated by how hard it is to make a group call today. Adding someone to an already existing call is extremely tedious and even starting a conference call is quite a painful process. Today we're going to change that with the introduction of Group Calls on hike," Kavin Bharti Mittal, founder and CEO of hike messenger said.

"Now with the tap of a single button, you can connect up to 100 people in one call. It's that simple. One tap and hike does the rest. No more pins, no more dial in numbers and no more putting people on hold. Making a Group Call has never been this easy," he said.

The messaging platform had also secured $65 million (Rs.400 crore) in funding in the middle of last year from a group of overseas investors led by Tiger Global Management.

The new feature, which will also work on 4G and Wi-Fi, is expected to roll out on iOS and Windows operating system later this year.