Line (software)

Line is a way to talk to friends.

It started in Japan after a big earthquake. People needed a new way to send messages. Line lets people send text and photos. You can also make voice and video calls for free. Many people use it in Japan and Thailand. You can even play games on it. It is a very popular way to stay close. People use it on phones and computers every day.

Line is a popular app for talking to friends.

It started in Japan in June 2011. A big earthquake and tsunami hit Japan that year. The disaster left many people without phone service. Engineers wanted to make a new way to chat. They made an app that uses data networks. This helped people stay in touch when phone lines were down. Line lets people send texts and photos. It also allows free voice and video calls. This was a big deal in Japan. Many phone companies charge money for calls. Line was different because it was free.

Today, Line is a "super-app." This means it does many different things. You can use it to read news or watch videos. You can even buy things with Line Pay. There is also a shop for digital stickers. These are large emojis used in chats. Some stickers show famous cartoon characters. Users send over one billion stickers every day! People use Line on phones and computers. It is very popular in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia.

Line is a very popular app used for messaging and social networking.

It is owned by LY Corporation, which is a company from Japan. This company was formed by partners like SoftBank Group and Naver. People use Line to stay connected with friends and family every day. It has grown from a simple chat tool into what people call a "super-app." This means it can do many different jobs in one place. You can use it to read news, watch videos, or even buy things.

How does this app work for so many people? It uses data networks, like Wi-Fi, to send information. This allows users to send text messages, photos, and music to each other. You can even make voice and video calls for free. The app lets you join large groups with up to 500 people. You can also use stickers, which are large digital pictures called emojis. These stickers help people show feelings during a chat. Some people even use a feature to make stop-motion videos called Snap movies.

The history of Line started during a very difficult time in Japan. In March 2011, a large earthquake and tsunami hit the country.

This disaster left millions of people without power or working phone lines. A leader named Lee Hae-Jin and his team of engineers were in Japan at that time. They saw that people needed a new way to talk when phone networks were broken. Since Wi-Fi still worked for many, they built an app that used data instead. They launched Line in June 2011 to help people stay in touch.

Line grew very quickly after it was released. It reached 100 million users in just 18 months. By the end of 2013, it was the largest social network in Japan.

Since then, the number of users has climbed even higher. In 2014, the company said there were 560 million users worldwide. By 2017, that number reached 700 million people. Today, it is used by more than 70% of the people living in Japan. It is also very popular in places like Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia.

You might recognize some of the things you can do on Line. It is similar to other social media apps where you can post updates. For example, Line has a "Timeline" where you can share news with your friends. It also has a Sticker Shop where you can buy characters like the Line Friends. These characters were created by an artist named Mogi in 2011. Users send over one billion of these stickers every single day! From playing games to paying for things with Line Pay, the app is part of many people's daily lives.

Line is a major Japanese freeware application used for instant messaging and social networking. It is operated by LY Corporation, a company co-owned by SoftBank Group and Naver. While it began as a simple tool for texting, it has evolved into what is known as a "super-app." This means the platform provides many different services within a single interface. Users can access digital wallets, news streams, video on demand, and digital comics. Today, Line is a central part of digital life for millions of people.

The core mechanism of Line involves sending data over internet networks. The app was designed to work on smartphones, tablets, and personal computers. It utilizes data networks, such as 3G or Wi-Fi, to transmit various types of information. This includes text messages, photos, music, and voice recordings. Users can also engage in VoIP, which stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. This technology allows for free voice and video calling over the internet. The app even supports group chats that can hold up to 500 members.

Line offers several distinct features that set it apart from standard messaging tools. One major feature is the Sticker Shop, where users buy virtual stickers. These stickers act as large, expressive emojis to help convey emotions during chats. Another important feature is the "Timeline," which functions similarly to social media status updates. Users can share personal developments with their contacts in real-time. The app also includes "official channels." These allow news media outlets and large companies to send regular updates directly to users.

The history of Line is rooted in a significant natural disaster. In March 2011, the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami struck Japan. This event left millions of people without electricity or traditional phone lines. NHN Japan co-founder Lee Hae-Jin and his engineers were in Japan during this time. They noticed that while phone lines were down, Wi-Fi and some 3G networks remained usable. This inspired the team to develop an app that used data networks for continuous messaging. They launched Line in June 2011 to provide a reliable way to communicate.

Line experienced rapid growth following its launch. It reached 100 million users within only 18 months. By the end of 2013, it became Japan's largest social network. At that time, it had more than 300 million registrants worldwide. By 2014, the company announced it had attracted 560 million users. The user base continued to climb, reaching 700 million by 2017. As of 2023, more than 70% of the Japanese population uses the service. In 2025, the platform reached approximately 194 million monthly active users.

Beyond messaging, Line has expanded into diverse industries like finance and gaming. Line Pay is a digital wallet service that allows for mobile payments in stores. It even supports offline wire transfers and ATM transactions. The company also developed Line Games, which includes titles like Line Rangers and Line Tsum Tsum. These games allow players to connect with friends to earn points. In 2015, the company even entered the transportation sector with Line Taxi in Tokyo. This service allowed users to request a taxi and pay automatically via Line Pay.

Line's influence extends across many different technological and social systems. It has moved from being a mobile-only app to a multi-platform service. It is available on Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS. The app's success changed how people in Japan communicate. It eventually replaced carrier-based email as the most popular communication method. Even senior citizens in Japan have begun to prefer Line over traditional email. This shows how a single application can reshape the communication habits of an entire nation.