Firm follows in BlackBerry's footsteps to release its own BBM.
Korea-based Samsung claims ChatON is the communication service that allows multimedia sharing "anytime and anywhere."
The firm has played to rival BlackBerry's key strength, the BlackBerry Messenger service and developed its own incarnation of free instant mobile messaging.
ChatON is now downloadable from Samsung Apps and the Android Market for mobile devices including the Samsung Galaxy S II and more.
Samsung's messenger service will also be preloaded to bada OS smartphones and limited feature phones starting this month.
It will then spread to other platforms by the end of the year including iOS and BlackBerry to allow cross-platform communication similar to WhatsApp.
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Simon Stanford, head of mobile, Samsung UK and Ireland, said: "We’re always looking at ways to bring innovative devices and services to consumers and I’m delighted to announce Samsung’s ChatON platform in the UK.
"Samsung ChatON brings a communication service that encompasses multimedia, social media and instant messaging capabilities that will give our consumers yet another way to communicate and interact with our devices."
ChatON Service features include:
* Animated messages.
* Chat continuation.
* Group Chat.
* Interaction Rank, social networking tools.
Mobile chat is increasingly popular, Apple recently developed iMessage for iOS 5 users, which allows communication between iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.
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