After initially denying the rumors, Samsung today announced that it will be shutting down its ChatOn mobile messaging service on Feb. 1, 2015 at 9 a.m.
The company is taking this step to focus on building its business in other areas and to meet with the changing demands of the consumer.
“Under changes in the services operation policy, ChatOn will be closed as of 9 a.m. on Feb. 1, 2015,” the South Korean tech firm said. “The move came in line with efforts to meet the changing demands in the market and provide differentiated services to users, focusing on other areas such as health and mobile commerce,” it said.
For some strange reason though, the company will continue to offer the messaging service in the United States.
If you are a ChatOn user, you will be able to download and store all your personal information like pictures, chat messages and other data shared through the messaging service before it shuts down next year.
Even though Samsung remains the number one smartphone vendor in the world, its market share and operating profit have dipped at an alarming rate in 2014 due to stiff competition from low-end Chinese OEMs. The company has been looking to integrate its various divisions into one to reduce overhead costs and to better manage its business.
[Via Yonhap News]