Messaging platform Hike will be shutting down its Sticker Chat app, founder and CEO Kavin Bharti Mittal confirmed the news on Twitter over the weekend.
Hike Sticker Chat app users also received an in-app notification asking them to export their chats before the app was shutting down its doors for good.
“Wishing you a very Happy New Year! Today we're announcing that after so many years of helping you deepen friendships, we will be shutting down Hike Sticker Chat at 11.59 pm on 14th Jan 2021. We thank you for creating amazing memories with us on Hike Sticker Chat and giving us your love and trust for so many years. We wouldn’t be here without each and every one of you.” The Hike app notification reads.
Hike Messenger was launched in 2012. It was later updated to Hike Stiker Chat app in the first quarter of 2019 with over 30 000 stickers in 40 Indian languages. The app offered trendy and quirky sticker packs. Users were also encouraged to create their own HikeMoji, opening a world of creativity.
In the midst of shutting down the Sticker Chat app, Mittal tweeted that India will not have its own messenger unless the country bans Western companies. He also had a few words to say regarding the whole WhatsApp new privacy policy saga, saying rivals like Telegram and Signal are both very good as they are more aligned with consumers, unlike Facebook products.
“India won’t have its own messenger. Global network effects are too strong (unless India bans Western companies. @telegram UX, @signalapp both are very good. As entities, they have the right incentives (more aligned with consumers), unlike FB products,” reads the tweet.
All is not lost as Hike will be developing two new platforms one will be called Vibe by Hike, a community-based social platform where users will have to apply to join in the new platform. And the second one will be an online gaming app called Rush by Hike where users will be offered games such as Carrom and Ludo.
The company added that more games will follow soon. Rush by Hike app is available on iOS and as for Android users, the company said they were running behind schedule with releasing the app but all should be in place soon.
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