Secure the stickers: Line messaging app adds end-to-end encryption to boost privacy

By Andy Boxall October 13, 2015

line app letter sealing encryption news version 1444734483 being used — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Popular messaging app Line says it has beaten the competition with its latest feature, called Letter Sealing, that encrypts messages sent between users. Apparently, it’s the first messaging app to offer this level of security across a range of platforms. In addition to the Line app for Android and iOS, Line can be accessed online through a Chrome extension, on PCs, and other mobile devices.

What does Letter Sealing do? It uses end-to-end encryption technology to hide your conversations away, securing them with a special software key that’s stored only on your device, not some server elsewhere. By doing this, says Line, it’s “technically impossible for the chat content to be disclosed in the server or to a third party.”

At the moment, Letter Sealing is only applicable to private messages between two users, not on Line’s group chat feature, plus it applies to the app’s Location Sharing mode. However, depending on what device you’re using, you may need to activate the security feature. Anyone using iOS should dig into the app’s settings menu to turn it on, for example. Those on Android should find it’s activated right after updating to version 5.3.0.

Line Letter Sealing — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Line has increased its number of registered users over the past year, reaching 600 million in mid-2015, and according to this report, it expects to pass 700 million by year end. However, its popularity doesn’t extend far out of Asia. The new security measures may help increase interest, but Line isn’t the only secure messaging app out there. Apple’s own iMessages are encrypted, and WhatsApp activated Open Whisper System’s TextSecure encryption late last year.

Secure messaging may be good for us, but law enforcement agencies aren’t that taken work the technology, and have claimed in the past that it gives terrorists and other criminals a safe place to converse.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Tech News

Senior Mobile Writer

Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

Mobile

Sticker obsessives will love the Line messaging app’s new subscription package

line sticker premium news stickers

Stickers in messaging apps are very popular. Whether it’s a simple emoji, a Pusheen cat sticker in Facebook Messenger, or an Animoji in iMessage, stickers are a fun and often cute way of displaying an emotion. The heritage of all these can be traced back to Line’s use of stickers, or stamps as they’re also known, in its messaging app. Now, Line has announced the ultimate option for the sticker-obsessed: Stickers Premium.

Seeing as you already pay a nominal amount to own most high profile stickers in Line, what does this mean? It’s a subscription service, where for a small monthly fee you get unlimited use of all the stickers available through the Line sticker store. How many stickers is that? More than 3 million sets, says Line, which in addition to estimating the number of stickers you’ll be able to use, it also breaks down the benefit of Stickers Premium into a monetary value.

Mobile

Best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals: Grab the foldable phone for $700

A person holding a partially open Galaxy Z Fold 4.

While the more recent release of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 has turned attention away from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Z Fold 4 is still an incredibly capable smartphone. Newer tech releases often make previous generations much more affordable, and that’s certainly the case with the Z Fold 4. While much of what’s available out there are refurbished models, there’s some huge savings to be had on a Z Fold 4. Retailers like Amazon and Back Market offer great ways to save, and we’ve got all of the information you need to do so. Reading onward you’ll find links to the best Samsung Z Fold 4 deals you can shop right now, as well as a little information on what each retailer has to offer with a purchase.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals at Best Buy
The Unlocked 512GB model of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is on clearance at Best Buy. The popular retailer is really showing up with this deal, which sees the Z Fold 4 marked down to $700 and makes for nearly $1,300 in savings. Even more savings are available if you have an eligible device trade-in.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals at Amazon
Amazon may currently have the widest variety of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals. You’ll find both the 256GB and 512GB models discounted there, as though much of what's available are renewed models. Don't hold back because it's renewed, though, as Amazon has a great return policy should you receive something that doesn't live up to its condition. You can save even more when purchasing a Galaxy Z Fold 4 at Amazon if you have an eligible device to trade-in.

Mobile

Best refurbished iPhone deals: Get an iPhone 14 for $513

An iPhone 13 in white color option.

The Apple iPhone is one of the best phones on the market, and because of it they don’t often come cheap. There are some great iPhone deals out there, but it’s rare to find significant discounts on newer models without having to commit to a longterm contract with a carrier, and it’s even less frequent you come across one of the best iPhones with a major price drop. This is where shopping refurbished can come in handy. Refurbished iPhones — for the most part — will come backed with a functionality guarantee or extended return window, making refurbished iPhones as safe of a purchase as shopping new. There are a lot of refurbished iPhone models seeing great price drops right now, which is why we’ve done the heavy lifting of rounding up all of the best refurbished iPhone deals. You’ll find them below, as well as some information on which refurbished iPhone might be best for you.
iPhone XR -- from $136

A refurbished model but one that's unlocked and comes with a full one-year warranty, the Apple iPhone XR is still pretty stylish for its age. It has a large 6.1-inch LCD screen with 1,792 x 828 resolution with Liquid Retina technology ensuring it looks super sharp. Powered by the A12 Bionic chip, it's starting to show its age but still has potential. There's also a 12MP back camera that can shoot 4K videos while the front-facing camera is 7MP and ideal for selfie-taking.