Rakuten, Inc. CEO Hiroshi Mikitani and Viber CEO Talmon Marco pose for photos in 2014. (Photo : Getty Images/Chris McGrath)
Viber adds end-to-end encryption for all calls and messages on its platform, an expansion of its user privacy. A user can chat with up to 200 people on Viber in a group chat on which the new encryption also applies. The update likewise includes a way to conceal chats in Hidden Chats and an expanded delete function.
Founded in Israel, Viber was acquired by Tokyo-based Rakuten in 2014, and now its messaging app has over 711 million users worldwide. Developed by a VoIP company that was a pioneer in mobile messaging, Viber Media, the app connects everyone in the world where users can send free text, video and photo messages as well as make high-quality calls on Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Symbian, Mac and Bada devices. The new update will roll out worldwide for several weeks. It started on on April 19, Tuesday, in four countries of Israel, Thailand, Belarus and Brazil.
Every messaging app usually encrypts user messages in transit, but the end-to-end encryption is a more secure feature because it means service providers themselves, or government agencies, cannot access the message at any point. The new user privacy features will work on iOS, Android, Mac and PCs. The encryption will come with the latest 6.0 app update and will be activated with an app reauthentication through the QR code.
Along with the new feature is the user's capability to hide a chat in the app. This can apply when many people are accessing one's Viber account, or use his or her device. The Hidden Chats feature allows users to hide their messages which can only be accessed with a four-digit PIN, Re/code reported. The enhanced delete feature gives users the capability to delete messages not just on their end, but on the recipient's phone as well.
Viber has been working with the feature for "years," TechCrunch has learned from the company's COO Michael Shmilov. The latter likewise said that a lot of functionalities are coming to Viber, such as, a service for businesses where firms can use Viber to communicate with their customers. The platform will also have bots.
The following video explains how end-to-end encryption works.
