Last April, I wrote that KakaoTalk is developing a voice dialling feature. At that time, the new feature can be used by users who use the Japanese telecom operator.
In the end of last month, KakaoTalk has finally launched voice dialling feature for all users in the world. By using this feature, users can make KakaoTalk voice calls by paying the cost of data transmission which is cheaper than the phone-call cost. This feature is available to KakaoTalk users for Android and IOS versions.
To distinguish with the features feature that has a similar application, mVOIP (mobile Voice Over Internet Protocol), KakaoTalk also added Voice Filter features. Voice Filter features may be used freely by the user in order to disguise their voice as if the sound similar to aliens.
The launch of this feature is causing controversy in the KakaoTalk country of origin, South Korea. The Next Web has written that the telecommunication operator concerned that KakaoTalk applications will increase the network, while revenue from voice calls is reduced. Previously, with the presence of such applications like KakaoTalk, WhatsApp, and Line, the telecoms operator revenue from SMS has been reduced.
KakaoTalk suggested that this feature is used with a WiFi connection. In addition to saving costs, the connection with 3G signal tends to be unstable and may potentially interfere the quality of the call. If the quality of calls over this KakaoTalk is reliable, would the controversy happen in South Korea also happen in Indonesia? Or the operator will ask them to work together.
