Users will be able to take advantage of all of the service's features

Mar 19, 2014 11:46 GMT  ·  By

Nokia X devices, the first series of smartphones from the Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia to land on the market with Google’s Android operating system loaded on top, will feature the WeChat application right from the start.

The application can already be seen on Nokia X, which has recently been released in India, and will also be present on the Nokia X+ and Nokia XL devices, the other two members of the family.

The company has already confirmed this state of facts in a Q&A published on the Nokia Conversations blog, adding that other popular messaging applications, such as BBM, will also be available on these handsets from day one.

“The device also comes pre-loaded with BBM and WeChat, with more, quality-tested chat apps to be found in Nokia Store,” the company announced.

What won’t be found on Nokia X, Nokia X+, and Nokia XL out of the box will be WhatsApp, though users will find it available through third-party app stores, it seems.

“We are thrilled to bring WeChat to the Nokia X smartphone family,” Bryan Biniak, Global Vice President and General Manager, Developer Experience, Nokia, said, according to The Indian Express.

“We continually aim to bring people the best smartphone experience with our innovative hardware and software, and WeChat is a perfect addition to help people stay connected and share more joy with friends.”

According to Dennis Hau, Head of Product Center, International Business Group of Tencent, the company which owns WeChat, the presence of the application on Nokia X devices will ensure that users receive a great experience right from the start.

This will be possible through “our exciting innovative features paired with the outstanding functionality of Nokia phones,” he said.

All of the popular WeChat features will be available to those who will purchase Nokia X devices, including People Nearby, Shake, and Draft Bottle. Moreover, users will enjoy free stickers, it seems.

The variety of messaging apps / services available for Nokia X devices is expected to attract a lot of users, despite the fact that the smartphone includes only entry-level hardware specs.

These services have seen an impressive increase lately, and WeChat is one of the fastest growing ones, as its user base went up by 379 percent during Q2 - Q4 2013.

As mentioned above, Nokia X has already landed in India, where Nokia X+ and Nokia XL will be released in the second quarter of the year. Users in China will also be able to grab the Nokia X starting March 24, and they have already shown increased interest in the phone during the pre-order period.