Asian chat apps growing in popularity

Smartphone applications used to stay connected to friends, known as chat apps, are growing in popularity.

Real-time messaging was first introduced by WhatsApp and Blackberry Messenger.

But now a new wave of Asian chat apps are attracting users globally. And they have gone beyond just messaging to include a slew of social features.

The BBC spoke to users of the apps in Singapore, where Japan's Line, South Korea's KakaoTalk and China's WeChat are making inroads.