Line

1. What is LINE?

Positioning: LINE is a comprehensive communication platform and lifestyle portal primarily focused on East and Southeast Asia, offering messaging, voice/video calls, and a wide array of integrated services beyond core communication. It functions as a super app in its dominant markets.

Functional Panorama: LINE covers core communication modules like instant messaging, group chats, and free voice/video calls. Beyond this, it integrates a rich ecosystem including the Sticker Shop (for digital stickers and emojis), LINE VOOM (a social media-like feed for sharing updates), LINE Pay (a mobile payment service), LINE MAN (on-demand delivery service in specific regions), LINE Shopping, LINE Games, LINE News, LINE Official Accounts (for businesses), and various AI-powered features for enhanced user expression and productivity.

2. LINE’s Use Cases

• Individual Users: Can use LINE for free instant messaging, voice and video calls with friends and family globally, share photos, videos, and locations, and express themselves through a vast collection of animated and sound stickers.
• Businesses and Brands: Can leverage LINE Official Accounts to engage with customers, broadcast messages, provide customer support, run promotional campaigns, and manage reservations, serving as a direct communication channel.
• Content Creators and Artists: Can design and sell custom stickers and themes through the LINE Creators Market, generating revenue and engaging with their audience. They can also share content on LINE VOOM to build a community.
• Online Shoppers: Can utilize LINE Shopping for aggregated product searches and deals, and make secure payments using LINE Pay directly within the app or at integrated merchants.
• Daily Lifestyle Needs (Specific Regions): Users in markets like Thailand can use LINE MAN for food delivery, grocery shopping, messenger services, and taxi booking directly from the LINE app.
• Gamers: Can play a variety of casual and competitive games integrated within the LINE app, often with social features linked to their LINE friends.

3. LINE’s Key Features

• Free Messaging & Calls: Offers unlimited text messaging, voice calls, and video calls to other LINE users globally.
• Sticker Shop: Provides a vast library of digital stickers, animated stickers, and sound stickers for enhanced communication and expression, with both free and paid options.
• LINE VOOM (formerly Timeline): A social media feature allowing users and brands to share posts, photos, videos, and stories with their followers, similar to a personal feed.
• LINE Pay: An integrated mobile payment and digital wallet service for cashless transactions, peer-to-peer money transfers, and online/offline purchases.
• LINE AI Filters & Stickers: New AI-powered features allowing users to create unique sticker sets or apply creative filters to their profile pictures based on uploaded images.
• Advanced Group Calling Features: Enhancements to group video calls, including improved stability, background effects, and participant management features.
• End-to-End Encryption (Letter Sealing): All messages, calls, and location information are automatically encrypted by default between users who have enabled the “Letter Sealing” feature, ensuring privacy.
• Integration with LINE Official Accounts: Allows businesses to create official profiles to communicate directly with customers, send coupons, and provide automated responses. Users appreciate the direct access to customer service and promotions.

4. How to Use LINE?

• 1. Download and Register: Download the LINE app from your device’s app store (iOS/Android). Open the app, agree to the terms, and register using your phone number. You’ll receive an SMS verification code to confirm your account.
• 2. Add Friends: You can add friends by syncing your phone’s contacts, searching by LINE ID, scanning QR codes, or using “Shake It!” to find nearby users.
• 3. Start Chatting and Calling: Tap the ‘Chats’ tab, then the ‘+’ icon (or speech bubble icon) to start a new chat. Select a friend or create a group chat. You can send text, photos, videos, voice messages, and make free voice or video calls from within the chat window.
• 4. Use Stickers and Emojis: In any chat, tap the smiley face icon to access your installed stickers and emojis. You can download more from the Sticker Shop.
• 5. Pro Tip: Utilize LINE VOOM for Content: Tap the ‘VOOM’ tab to see updates from friends and accounts you follow. You can also create your own posts by tapping the ‘+’ icon, adding photos, videos, or text to share your moments.
• 6. Pro Tip: Explore Integrated Services: Tap the ‘Home’ tab to access a wide array of LINE services like LINE Pay, LINE Shopping, LINE News, and LINE Games. For example, setting up LINE Pay allows for quick and secure mobile payments at supported merchants.
• 7. Pro Tip: Manage Notifications and Privacy: Go to ‘Home’ > ‘Settings’ (gear icon) to customize notification sounds, privacy settings, and enable “Letter Sealing” for enhanced chat encryption.

5. LINE’s Pricing & Access

• Core App (Free Tier): The LINE messaging, voice/video calls, and basic social features (LINE VOOM) are entirely free for individual users, supporting unlimited use.
• Sticker Shop: Offers a mix of free stickers and premium (paid) sticker sets, typically ranging from $0.99 to $2.99 USD per set. Users can also earn free stickers through promotions or by following official accounts.
• LINE Official Accounts (Business Tiers): Businesses can access tiered plans for LINE Official Accounts. A Free Plan allows up to 1,000 messages per month. Paid plans offer higher message limits, additional features, and varied pricing based on message volume and target audience size.
• LINE Pay Fees: While peer-to-peer transfers are generally free, transaction fees may apply for certain merchant payments or withdrawals, depending on regional regulations and specific agreements.
• Web Dynamics: LINE frequently runs limited-time promotions for new users of LINE Pay, such as cashback offers or discounts at partner stores, particularly in markets like Japan and Taiwan.
• Accessibility: Available globally on iOS and Android smartphones, as well as desktop versions for Windows and macOS. Some services like LINE MAN or LINE Pay’s full functionality are region-specific.

6. LINE’s Comprehensive Advantages

• Dominant Ecosystem Integration: Unlike competitors like WhatsApp that primarily focus on messaging, LINE offers a comprehensive “super app” experience, integrating payments (LINE Pay), delivery (LINE MAN), social media (LINE VOOM), and entertainment (LINE Games) seamlessly within a single platform. This deep integration fosters higher user engagement and retention in key markets.
• Rich Expression through Stickers & Features: LINE stands out with its highly developed sticker culture, offering an unparalleled variety of digital stickers, themes, and AI-generated content. This feature significantly enhances user communication and personalization, differentiating it from more text-centric messaging apps.
• Strong Regional Market Leadership: LINE holds a dominant market share in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia, giving it a strong network effect and a competitive edge in these regions compared to global rivals. For instance, LINE’s user satisfaction for integrated services in Japan is notably high, exceeding 85% for features like LINE Pay.
• Business-Friendly Features: LINE Official Accounts provide robust tools for businesses to engage with customers, offering features like segmented broadcasting, automated responses, and coupon distribution. This makes it a powerful marketing and customer service platform, often preferred by businesses in its core markets over competitors.
• Continuous Innovation in AI & Fintech: LINE consistently invests in AI for features like personalized content recommendations and creative tools, alongside its robust fintech offerings via LINE Pay. This commitment to innovation keeps the platform at the forefront of digital trends.