Benchmark Capital and Accel have invested $12 million in Israeli mobile startup Zlango. Zlango is an icon-based mobile messaging service. Users send short texts typed in representational images instead of typing out the messages (see below). It’s like a modern hieroglyphics. Users can also add images to the basic icons of the language, as Zlango has in their press release.
Zlango is a phone based application that has grown through close relationships with carriers, who see Zlango as a way to drive higher SMS usage or by a flat fee. Zlango is currently partnered with Pelephone in Israel, Orange & Cellcom in ESC, P4 in Poland, and bMobile in the Caribbean.
The funding comes close the Accel’s recent hiring of mobile expert Richard Wong, of early mobile browser company OpenWave. The relationship between the two firms seems to have recovered since Accel loosing a partner, Peter Fenton, to Benchmark Capital last April.
TechCrunch also has coverage.
Personally I am not sure how well this “picture talk” will catch on. Perhaps if they have an executive icon set so it does not seem like a “kids fad” then it may catch on with more speed.
Still not sure how it will catch on in the adult world though, the ones with the money.
Dave
Anonymous SMS
does your child have a mobile? and do you pay for it?
Kids have money for mobiles and mobile content. Period. The £5.5bn ringtone market is testament to that – i do not think all that many adults took Crazy Frog to the top of the UK singles charts following the ringtone phenomenon.
no execs would ever use this – rightly so – it is not aimed at them.