By Kim Yoo-chul
Samsung Electronics has released a messaging app which runs on Apple's iOS mobile platform, the company said Sunday.
Samsung developed the intra-group messaging app, Square, after it shut down its ChatON service, everywhere apart from the United States, last month. It unveiled the iOS version for its employees using iPhones.
"Our employees using iPhones will be able to use our new messaging app Square. We don't force our workers to use Samsung devices and we respect our employees' device selection," a company official said. "The development of the iOS version is in consideration of the workers who use iPhones."
Samsung has around 400,000 employees. Many working for Samsung Securities and other financial units of the group use iPhones and iPads. Samsung mobile devices run on Google's Android platform.
Its decision to allow a messaging app to run on the iOS platform is viewed as unusual, given it has long battled with its archrival Apple over patent rights.
The release of the iOS version is in line with Samsung's recent move to expand business with enterprises. It needs to allow iPhone users working for its partners to be able to use the app.
"The main purpose of the Square is to raise our presence in the business-to-business (B2B) mobile app market. For example, employees at Fedex, UPS and Coca-Cola check inventories and delivery schedules via iPads," said the official.
Samsung is seeking to expand in the B2B sector in mobile applications.
"Therefore, we need relevant services that operate on a multi-platform framework," said the official.
Square has upgraded mobile security features thanks to Samsung's partnership with BlackBerry of Canada.