Tech Shout!

Mobile phone users across the country may soon be able to send voice messages via SMS, perhaps marking the beginning of the end for text messaging, as voice-based applications firm Bubble Motion is set to launch its ‘Bubble Talk’ in a few months.

US-based Bubble Motion is planning to launch its talking SMS service, ‘Bubble Talk’, across India in the next two months and is in talks with various operators in the country.

‘Bubble Talk’ allows users to talk, listen and reply to messages in their own voice and in the language of his or her choice. This is a short voice message service based on the talk and listen messaging, alternative to the type and read text messaging service provided by SMS.

The company is currently offering its services, which allows mobile users to record, send and listen SMSs in their own voice, in Chandigarh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh through its tie up with Bharti Airtel. Airtel had launched its ‘Bubble Talk’ service in Pune in August and charges Rs 0.75 per minute to send a bubble message, while hearing it is free of cost for the first time.

The message could be stored in an archive and retrieving and listening to it costs Rs 0.75 per minute.

“We will launch our service ‘Bubble Talk’ nationwide in six-eight weeks and would be going live in all the 23 circles,” Bubble Motion co-founder and President Sunil Caushik said.

Bubble Motion is also in talks with various mobile operators in the country as they want their service to become a mass product..