India, Oct. 2 -- Will Zoho's Arattai Stick Beyond The Hype?

Arattai is riding the latest wave of digital "swadeshi" sentiment. Zoho's messaging app has gone viral, clocking 3.5 Lakh downloads in just three days and topping app store charts. So, why is Arattai taking India by storm?

The Downloads Paradox: Arattai has caught the fancy of India's tech-conscious users with its end-to-end encryption, support for multiple local languages, and focus on data privacy. Yet, India's messaging app history reads like a cautionary tale.

Hike Messenger attracted 100 Mn users before shutting down in 2021, and JioChat, Koo, and state-backed Sandes also failed to gain mainstream traction. Each promised a homegrown alternative to WhatsApp but ultimately ...