Zoho ’s messaging app Arattai, touted as the “swadeshi” alternative to WhatsApp , raced to over 3.5 lakh downloads in just three days this September, briefly surpassing WhatsApp on app stores. As it basks in its early momentum — albeit with ministerial endorsements — a bigger question looms: Can Arattai sustain the current growth trajectory or will its branding prove a barrier to mainstream acceptance? Experts weigh in.

Early adoption is no guarantee of growth

Prabhu Ram, VP, Industry Research Group, Cyber Media Research

In the digital economy, we have grown accustomed to winner-take-all dynamics. Google in search, Netflix in streaming, WhatsApp in messaging. Yet history shows that no market position is permanent. When incumbents stagnate, innovation and creative destruction breed ne

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