Arattai Brings Android TV Support, A New Front Against WhatsApp

Zoho’s Arattai is gaining traction in India’s app stores and has added an official Android TV client. The app combines multi-device support (Linux, macOS, Windows), meeting tools, a personal “Pocket” store, and a privacy-forward, no-ads positioning — features Zoho says target users on low-end phones and unreliable networks and that set it apart from rivals such as WhatsApp.

TV becomes a battleground

Zoho’s messaging app Arattai is widening its footprint beyond phones with an official Android TV app , a capability not offered by mainstream rivals. The move gives Arattai a distribution and usage angle that, together with multi-device support and low-bandwidth design, is shaping its push against WhatsApp. Netizens have even dubbed it the ‘WhatsApp killer’.

Android TV: a unique distribution play

Arattai offers an official, dedicated Android TV app available on the Play Store. By contrast, users of apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal typically rely on workarounds to view messages on TV. An official TV client can change how users interact with messages and media in living-room contexts and gives Zoho a visible, distinctive channel for broader engagement.

Features that differentiate Arattai

Arattai bundles several features that Zoho highlights as distinctions from other messengers:

• Meetings: An integrated meetings tool on the app’s bottom dock that supports instant meetings, joining, scheduling, and viewing past or scheduled sessions — functionally similar to standalone meeting services but available inside the messenger.

• Pocket: A personal storage area for messages and media that removes the need to send messages to oneself as a makeshift note space.

• Mentions: A Slack-like section listing texts that mention the user, designed to reduce notification friction.

• Multi-device support: Native clients across Linux, macOS and Windows, enabling access beyond mobile devices.

• Android TV client: An official TV app available for download via the Play Store.

• No ads / privacy stance: Zoho currently does not include ads and says it will not use user data for advertising.

• No forced AI: The app does not include mandatory AI features at this time.

Design for limited networks and basic devices

Zoho positions Arattai as lightweight and optimized for low-bandwidth environments. The company says the app is tailored to run smoothly on basic smartphones and in regions with patchy internet, a practical focus for markets where many users rely on budget devices and limited connectivity.

The material you shared reports that Arattai has jumped ranks in the India app store and, in some accounts, reached the top position. Its combination of features and the Android TV client are presented as factors behind the traction. Zoho’s approach targets both underserved users (low-end devices, weak networks) and everyday use cases (meetings, personal storage, mentions), creating a multi-pronged competitive challenge to established messaging platforms.

Arattai’s official Android TV app and cross-platform support add a new axis to the competition with WhatsApp. Coupled with Meetings, Pocket, Mentions, and a no-ads, no-forced-AI stance aimed at low-bandwidth users, Zoho is positioning Arattai as a versatile alternative for users and contexts that global rivals have not yet addressed directly.