Kakao happy about increased usage time despite complaints

Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a said Friday the company’s flagship mobile messenger KakaoTalk showed nearly a 10 percent increase in users’ average app usage time after a Sept. 23 update that sparked nationwide complaints, describing the change as “a positive shift” in the app’s traffic quality. During the company’s earnings call for the third quarter, Chung said the company confirmed rebounds in major indicators after the update, with the average daily usage time for KakaoTalk increasing from the third-quarter average of 24 minutes to nearly 26 minutes after the update. “We believe it is meaningful that the usage time has begun to show signs of rebound from its steady downtrend,” Chung said. “Even during the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the average daily usage time per user increased by only about 10 seconds, so we believe that increasing the usage time on a messenger platform is a highly challenging task.” On Sept. 23, the company launched a sweeping update to the interface of the country’s largest messaging app, replacing a list-style format for thWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times