Data Backup Digest

While users of Kik Messenger were disheartened to hear of their app's shutdown in September 2019, it seems they'll be able to continue using the popular instant messaging app after all. It was originally reported that Kik Interactive would be switching their focus to a brand new cryptocurrency, Kin, and this remains true. However, another company, MediaLab, has stepped up to take over the reins of Kik.

MediaLab attempted to clarify the confusion in a recent blog post by saying, in part: "Over the past few weeks there has been a lot of speculation about the future of the Kik Messenger. Today we are excited to announce that we’ve finalized an agreement with Kik Interactive to acquire the Kik Messenger."''

During its peak, Kik touted hundreds of millions of individual users and had a market value of approximately $1 billion – which is pretty good for an app that was created by a group of college students from the University of Waterloo in Canada.

However, they decide to expand in 2018 to launch the Kin Coin – a cryptocurrency that is meant to compete with the likes of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the countless other forms of digital coinage that is in use today.

But the problems for Kik were just beginning. One of the driving forces behind Kik's decision to end support for the popular messaging app was the fact that they were being sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission. According to the SEC, the $100 million that Kik raised to launch Kin was collected illegally. As such, the team with Kik Interactive is focusing all of their efforts on the lawsuit and the future of their new digital coin.

Nonetheless, users of Kik can take solace in the fact that their favorite instant messaging app will remain in service for the foreseeable future – even if it is under the MediaLab brand. While they still have to compete with other instant messaging apps, including Facebook's Messenger, WhatsApp, and others, Kik has been able to hold their own up until now; there's no reason they can't continue to do so for years to come.

In fact, the development team at MediaLab has already pledged to tackle a number of pressing issues, including:

• Speed and reliability issues
• SPAM bots and unwanted messages
• Connecting with users who have similar interests

Obviously this is just the start of their upgrades and enhancements. While they've already hinted at more to come n the near future, the developers are using this initial phase to focus on re-building and strengthening the fundamentals of Kik.

They'll also be implementing built-in advertisements within the Kik platform. Although most users won't like this particular feature, the developers insist that it is necessary in order to support the app on a long-term basis.

MediaLab's recent blog post concluded by saying: "We believe that Kik’s best days remain ahead of it. As part of that long term commitment, we need to ensure that we’re able to cover our expenses. So over the coming weeks we’ll be introducing ads to the service. While we know that some of you may not love that idea we plan to do it in a way that it is non-intrusive, and in no way takes away from what makes Kik great."

Although the team at Kik Interactive will continue to support the Kin Coin form of cryptocurrency, the Kik messaging app is still available through their official website at www.kik.com.