Viber today rolled out updates to its desktop and Windows Phone 8 applications that's meant to more deeply integrate the two platforms. The company also added support for stickers, emoticons, and other key features.
The messaging firm reported rapid growth in the Windows Phone realm, with more than 500,000 users downloading the app every month.
"We have focused on bringing Viber to multiple platforms, ensuring our users can communicate freely with as many of their friends as possible," Viber CEO Talmon Marco said in a statement. "Today we are very happy to bring important updates to two of these platforms, ensuring full compatibility between the Windows Phone and desktop versions of Viber."
More than just animated emotions, new desktop functions also include full support for group messaging, an "is typing" feature showing who is actively participating in a conversation, a redesigned conversations list, improved pop-up notifications, and full support for contacts with multiple Viber numbers.
Meanwhile, the refreshed Windows Phone 8 version features an interface designed specifically for Windows Phone devices, as well as a native call screen and support for live tiles that allows users to see their latest messages on the home screen.
This release also brings performance enhancements and bug fixes for mobile users.
The updated Viber for Windows Phone 8 does not yet appear to be available in the Windows Phone app store; the latest update is listed as April 17.
Despite its success, Viber took a stumble in April when security company Bkav revealed a way to gain full access to Android phones via the Viber messaging app. The company bounced back in May with the release of its desktop application for PC and Mac computers. The boost came just as Viber surpassed the 200 million users mark, counting the Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry platforms.
Another roadblock popped up, though, in early June, when Saudi Arabia banned the Viber mobile and Web applications after threatening to prohibit services that don't allow for government monitoring.
For more, see PCMag's review of Viber for Android and the slideshow above.
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