That Defined Arattai at Launch: In the bustling world of Indian social media and messaging apps, a new player emerged with a name that resonated with the local ethos: Arattai. For those curious about its origins, the burning question often is, “Arattai App Ki History – कब लॉन्च हुआ था?” (What is the history of the Arattai app – when was it launched?). This isn’t just about a date on a calendar; it’s the story of an ambitious Indian project aimed at creating a homegrown space for digital conversation. Let’s dive into the journey of Arattai, from its conceptualization to its launch and beyond, in a simple, human tone.
The Birth of Arattai: An Indian Ambition
Arattai, which translates to “chat” or “gossip” in Tamil, was born from a desire to offer a made-in-India alternative to global messaging giants. The app was developed by Zoho Corporation, a respected Indian software giant known for its suite of business, productivity, and collaboration tools.
The vision was clear: to create a secure, feature-rich messaging platform that could cater to the diverse communication needs of Indian users, from casual group chats to professional collaboration, all under one roof.
The Launch Date: A Mark on the Timeline
So, to directly answer the core question: The Arattai app was officially launched to the public on February 24, 2021.
This launch came after a period of beta testing and development. The timing was significant, as the digital landscape was becoming more conscious of data privacy and the value of local digital solutions.
Key Features That Defined Arattai at Launch
Arattai wasn’t just another chat app. It entered the arena with a set of promising features designed to stand out:
- Made for India: With its name and development roots in India, it aimed to connect emotionally with the domestic audience.
- Integration with Zoho Suite: Its biggest strength was seamless integration with other Zoho products like Zoho Mail, Zoho Cliq, and Zoho Projects, making it a potent tool for teams already in the Zoho ecosystem.
- Focus on Privacy: Zoho, known for its strong stance on user privacy, emphasized that Arattai would not track user data for advertising, a major concern with other platforms.
- Versatile Communication: It supported text messages, voice messages, video calls, and screen sharing, catering to both personal and professional use.
- Organization-Focused: It allowed the creation of “organizations” within the app, making it easy to separate work chats from family groups or friend circles.
The Journey After Launch: Updates and Evolution
Post-launch, the Zoho team actively worked on updates, adding features and refining the user experience based on feedback. However, the app faced the classic challenge of competing in a market dominated by deeply entrenched players like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, which already had massive network effects.
The Pivot: From Arattai to Zoho Cliq
Here’s a crucial twist in the Arattai story. In a strategic move, Zoho decided to merge Arattai’s features and identity into its established business communication platform, Zoho Cliq.
This merger was officially announced in 2022. The goal was to consolidate resources and strengthen a single, powerful platform for team collaboration rather than maintaining two separate apps for similar purposes.
What This Means for Users:
- The standalone Arattai app for general chatting was effectively sunsetted.
- All its best features were absorbed into Zoho Cliq.
- Today, the spirit of Arattai lives on within Zoho Cliq, which offers robust chat, video calls, channel-based organization, and deep integrations with the Zoho universe and beyond.
Arattai App Timeline at a Glance
| Event | Date / Period | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Development & Beta | Late 2020 – Early 2021 | Developed by Zoho Corporation, tested internally and with select users. |
| Official Public Launch | February 24, 2021 | Arattai was officially launched for Android and iOS users. |
| Active Development Phase | 2021 – 2022 | Regular updates with new features and improvements were rolled out. |
| Strategic Merger Announced | 2022 | Zoho announced the merger of Arattai into its flagship product, Zoho Cliq. |
| Current Status | (Present) | Arattai as a standalone app is no longer available. Its functionality continues within Zoho Cliq. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Arattai app असल में लॉन्च कब हुआ था?
Ans: Arattai app 24 फरवरी, 2021 को लॉन्च हुआ था।
Q2: क्या अब Arattai app का इस्तेमाल किया जा सकता है?
Ans: नहीं, Arattai अब एक स्टैंडअलोन ऐप के रूप में उपलब्ध नहीं है। Zoho ने इसे अपने बिजनेस कम्युनिकेशन प्लेटफॉर्म Zoho Cliq में मर्ज कर दिया है।
Q3: Arattai को किस कंपनी ने डेवेलप किया था?
Ans: Arattai को भारतीय सॉफ्टवेयर कंपनी Zoho Corporation ने डेवेलप और लॉन्च किया था।
Q4: अगर Arattai नहीं है, तो मैं Zoho के मैसेजिंग फीचर्स का उपयोग कैसे कर सकता हूँ?
Ans: आप Zoho Cliq ऐप डाउनलोड कर सकते हैं। इसमें Arattai के सारे फीचर्स और बहुत कुछ अतिरिक्त, विशेष रूप से टीम कोलैबोरेशन के लिए, मौजूद हैं।
Q5: क्या Arattai डाटा प्राइवेसी के मामले में सुरक्षित था?
Ans: हां, Zoho ने Arattai को उसी प्राइवेसी-फर्स्ट एप्रोच के साथ लॉन्च किया था जिसके लिए कंपनी जानी जाती है। उन्होंने यूजर डाटा को ट्रैक करके विज्ञापन दिखाने से इनकार किया था।
Conclusion
The history of the Arattai app is a fascinating chapter in India’s digital product story. Launched with hope on February 24, 2021, it represented the dream of a localized, privacy-focused messaging platform. While its journey as an independent app was relatively short-lived, its essence was not lost. The strategic decision to merge it into Zoho Cliq ensured that its best qualities would serve a larger purpose in the professional collaboration space.
