Many younger people know WhatsApp as if mobile messaging began with smartphones. It didn't — MXit operated in an era of Java phones, SMS, GPRS and much smaller screens, demonstrating that South African developers could build products specifically designed for mobile communication long before today's smartphone ecosystem. It was eventually shut down in 2016.
Source: Wikipedia
Frequently Asked Questions
Was MXit really the first South African app?
That's an overstatement — it's more accurate to call it one of South Africa's pioneering and most successful mobile social platforms.
When did the MXit concept emerge?
It emerged around 2003, evolving into a major mobile instant-messaging platform in the years that followed.
When did MXit shut down?
It was eventually shut down in 2016, after smartphone-era competitors like WhatsApp and BBM took over the market.