Line is even losing users in 3 of its most important countries

Line, the sticker-loving messaging app, is struggling to hold onto its users.

n

The social network has just lost 4 million monthly active users in three of its most important markets – the first time it has ever suffered such a loss across Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia. It now has 99 million active chatters in those four places, down from 103 million earlier in the year, according to Line’s newest earnings report out this afternoon.

n

Its global tally is down also – to 207 million. That’s now the third successive quarter that Line has seen the total number shrink.

n

n

When you add in Japan, the firm’s home, and look at its top four markets, you see that it lost users in that collective – down from 171 to 169 million in those four places – despite seeing 2 million extra in Japan itself.

nStickers lose stickinessn

Line fares better when it comes to revenue, pulling in US$359 million from April to June – up 17 percent from the same period in 2016. Most of that growth comes from more advertising, while revenue from stickers and other content (gaming, Line Music, etc) slips.

n

Despite preaching to a shrinking congregation, profit is also rocketing, hitting US$80 million from April to June, up 188 percent from same time 2016.

n

Facebook, due to release its own newest data at close of Wednesday trading, is likely to show continued growth in its user base, which’ll highlight that Mark Zuckerberg is slowly crushing everyone else on the social media field.

n

Line has already laid out a plan to grow its web empire in new ways, with a focus on video, AI, and services like online shopping and payments. Line today added another, launching its Delima food delivery service in Japan.

n

See: Line’s smart speaker sure is cute

n

Converted from Japanese yen. Rate: US$1 = 111.91.