What Is 'MeowChat' And Why Is It Top Of The App Store?

What Is 'MeowChat' And Why Is It Top Of The App Store?

It's that time again -- a random app no one has ever heard of is top of the (free) App Store. And no one seems to known why.

This time it's something called MeowChat. So what -- apart from a cute cat icon -- is it?

Well, MeowChat is essentially very similar to apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, BBC and the like.

But it also has elements of dating apps like Tinder or Grinder, because one of its main features is allowing you to text and send images to totally random people.

Once you sign up, you can easily use it to find randoms to chat to - either in one-on-ones or in groups, and judging by the sheer number of downloads it's getting, a lot of people are doing just that.

And yes, there are lots of pictures of cats.

So why is it getting popular now? Mainly -- it seems -- because of the new random chat feature. New York-based developers Minus added that feature in July after a slow start as just another messaging service and downloads have gone through the roof.

It's worth being a little wary through -- the app doesn't have great reviews, with half as many giving it one star as have given it five - and on our perusal through the service there appeared to be a large number of, er, suspicious accounts advertising their services.

We'd especially suggest parents make sure their kids know how to be safe online before downloading it.

The other issue is the sheer number of invites it is generating and sending across the web, because the app is pretty aggressive in making you give up your contact details based on the idea that "Meow is more fun with friends and it expands your network".

For now it seems pretty harmless, though. Time will just have to tell whether it goes on to earn the founders a billion dollars, or if the kids just move onto something else in a week.

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