Allowing Kik users to discover and download Kik-enabled apps right inside Kik Messenger, Kik Interactive has unveiled Kik API.
With the Kik API, Kik Messenger handles the transmission of content from one user to another, facilitating app-discovery. Users are effortlessly driven to new apps. In addition, the Apps That Kik feature provides a list of Kik-enabled apps in an easily accessible place.
Initial apps in the public API launch include FlyScreen, an app for Android (News - Alert) that brings content and notifications to the lock screen; Zwonks, a casual social game that lets users share and collect virtual goods to spice up the chatting experience and many more.
“Part of what has made Kik Messenger such a success has been connecting people anywhere while keeping the app experience very fast and easy to use,” said Ted Livingston, CEO of Kik Interactive in a company press release. “The launch of the API and the addition of the Apps That Kik discovery service provide an insanely simple solution to drive app adoption for developers.”
Kik Messenger saw amazing viral growth, hitting over two million users in just three weeks, when it was launched in October 2010. Using its API, Kik now hopes to help developers achieve the same immediate growth and momentum.
Developers will have the advantage of Kik’s fast and reliable communication platform, and its millions of app-savvy, cross-platform users around the world. It now provides features such as DrinkOwl, an app that finds users a cheap drink in their cities (50,000+ listed!), the company stated in a press release.
Recently, the company announced it has closed an $8 million round of Series A funding with RRE Ventures, Spark Capital, and Union Square Ventures. Kik also announced that Fred Wilson (Union Square Ventures) and Adam Ludwin (RRE Ventures) are joining the company's Board of Directors.
The new funding positions the company for its next phase of development, which includes the launch of new group messaging and picture sharing features.
Raju Shanbhag is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Raju’s articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by
Jennifer Russell
