Zoho's homegrown messaging platform Arattai is preparing to enter the business communication space with a new version called Arattai Business. The upcoming app has appeared on the Google Play Store with a “coming soon” label, suggesting that Zoho is getting ready to expand Arattai beyond personal conversations and into workplaces.
Arattai Business is being presented as a messaging platform designed specifically for companies and teams, with an emphasis on privacy, security and greater control. According to its app description, businesses will have a dedicated environment for workplace communication, helping keep professional conversations organised.
The platform will also feature end-to-end encrypted messaging, secure chat synchronisation across devices and data ownership. In many ways, Zoho appears to be adopting an approach similar to WhatsApp Business.
WHAT IS ARATTAI BUSINESS?
Arattai Business is aimed at companies and teams that need to communicate with both employees and customers. The app description says it is designed to keep business conversations “professional, organised, and protected”.
Since the application is still listed as coming soon, its complete feature set has not yet been revealed. However, its intended purpose is clear: Zoho is taking Arattai into the business messaging market.
Zoho describes Arattai Business as being “built in India and designed for Indian businesses”. Privacy is another major part of its positioning, with the platform promising end-to-end encrypted messages and secure syncing across multiple devices.
ARATTAI HAS BEEN POSITIONED AS A WHATSAPP ALTERNATIVE
For those unfamiliar with Arattai, the messaging app was developed by Zoho Corporation, the Indian software company best known for its enterprise and SaaS offerings. The Tamil word “Arattai” means “chit-chat” or “casual conversation”.
Arattai was first launched in 2021, when WhatsApp's changes to its privacy policy sparked widespread discussions about how messaging platforms handle user data. Zoho presented Arattai as a homegrown alternative with privacy at the core of its design.
Zoho has also stressed the location and protection of user data. Arattai states that user data is stored in India, while direct messages and calls are protected with end-to-end encryption. Its current privacy policy also says the company does not sell personal data, use private chat histories for targeted advertising or use those conversations to train AI models.
With Arattai Business, Zoho now appears ready to extend the same privacy-focused approach into the corporate messaging market.
