Whoscall


Whoscall is a caller ID and number management mobile application developed by Gogolook, a Taiwanese design team. The app identifies incoming call as the call comes in allowing users to identify important calls and filter out unwanted callers. It also includes number management features, number and keyword blocks and an offline database. Whoscall relies on its networks of local partners, internet searches and user community generated content to identify numbers. The platform is available across the Android, Windows Phone and iOS platforms.
The name Whoscall derives from "Who is calling?", and is available in 31 countries, including Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and Brazil.

History and development

The conception of the app arose in a weekly gathering between the three founders of what later became Gogolook, who at the moment took time off their day jobs to work on various app ideas over the weekends and their free time. During the gathering, one of the founders received a telephone call, and promptly asked the others to do a quick search of the incoming unknown number online, hoping for a search result, either from a forum or a business page so he can prepare himself for the call, or choose to ignore it. This got them all wondering if an app that did just that was feasible.
The first version of the app was launched in August 2010, and still one of several apps by the part-timers at the moment got off to a slow start. It eventually gained some traction and propelled itself into the limelight when Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, on a visit to Taiwan, mentioned the app, Whoscall, by name. “An app called Whoscall tells you who a strange numbers’ from. It's fast growing... and its from Taiwan.”
In 2013, Whoscall was selected as Google Play’s Best Apps of 2013 in 8 countries across Asia. At the same time, it received an initial funding from Trinity Investment Corporation and other angel investors. In the end of the year Whoscall had a buyout by Korea Internet Service Company NHN株式會社 with NT 529 million dollars.
Whoscall IOS version was launched in December, 2014. In 2015, Whoscall official website has been completely updated to provide search services for number searching. In the same time, Whoscall officially launched a beta test of Whoscall Card and also released Whoscall Featured and Whoscall Dialer Shortcuts. At the end of 2015, Whoscall announced the upgrade of three major functions - Whoscall Card, Mobile Directory, and Whoscall Featured. And it soon became the user's personal call manager.
In 2016, Whoscall has fully upgraded both Whoscall Card and IOS version, which introduces instant caller identification and new blocking features. In the end of 2016, Whoscall global downloads has exceeded 50 million, identifying billions of times each month.
On July 18, 2017, Whoscall signed an MOU with the Korean Financial Management Association. Then the company launched an online shopping reporting system against the fraud. In October, Whoscall released Playbook, an advanced searching feature providing not only caller identification but also store information. So far Whoscall has over 60 million users around the world and now specializing in AI R&D.

Features

The Whoscall ShowCard was released as Beta in v4.3. It allows users to customize their outgoing call screens. Users can edit their personal or business names, along with descriptions such as business address, business hours or photos to be shown to be shown as his or her ShowCard. This info will be shown in all outgoing calls as it rings on screen of the receiving end. When the call ends, the receiver, through the call end dialogue, may also choose to view more information regarding the number.

Accolades and reception

Whoscall has been featured in several prominent international media including TechCrunch, TechinAsia, and e27. It is highly regarded with overwhelming positive reviews and holds an average of 4.4 star ratings on the Google Play Store.
In 2013, Google Play Taiwan awarded whoscall with its 2013 Innovation Awards.
In the same year, whoscall was awarded as Google Play’s Best Apps of the Year in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
In 2015, Whoscall won the 2015 App Store featured.
In the next year, Whoscall became 2016 Google Play featured, and was awarded as the most popular app in Google Store
In 2017, Whoscall was chosen by Google as a successful case study on the event Google I/O 2017.

Notable events

In November 2011, Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, on a visit to Taiwan, mentioned the app, Whoscall, by name. “An app called Whoscall tells you who a strange numbers’ from. It's fast growing... and its from Taiwan.”
On May 20, 2014, during the President of Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou's address to the nation marking his 6th year in office, he mentions Gogolook by name, and refers to it as an example of the creativity and potential of the youth of Taiwan.
In April 2014, there were growing concerns regarding Whoscall's privacy issues prompting public figures to take to the press cases where their public records including home telephone numbers and addresses showing up on incoming calling screens. Gogolook swiftly came out with a statement that they never collected nor stored any personal information on their servers, let alone make them publicly available. It was soon discovered that the personal information of said public figures were leaked from government servers with poor security that made it available through search engines where Gogolook sources some of their information from. Whoscall was promptly lauded as not only a call screen for telemarketers but also a reliable reminder for the possible dissemination of your personal information.