Samsung said on Monday it would launch a mobile instant messaging tool called ChatON, in an effort to attract more users to its handsets.

ChatON will be available from October and will come preinstalled in the company's smartphones running on its own bada operating system and Google's Android software, the company said.

"With ChatON, Samsung has vastly simplified mobile communication by allowing users to connect to our upcoming feature phones and all major Smartphones in the market,"said Ho Soo Lee, Head of Media Solution Center at Samsung Electronics. "Users around the world can now enjoy easier and richer interactivity with whoever they want, in the format they want?this is mobile communication reinvented and democratized."

ChatON features two functionality options. A basic functionality option is available for feature phone users who prefer simple and easy usage, allowing users to share text, pictures, calendar, contacts and emotions through an easy-to-access client.

Smartphone users can enjoy advanced feature options, enabling richer communication by allowing users to see how often they communicate with their buddies using the Interaction Rank feature and post comments on buddies? profile pages. Users can also create an 'Animation message' which allows them to create their own content by scribbling texts, adding audio and choosing their background pictures. All photos and videos in each conversation window can be viewed in an automatically-generated content sharing 'Trunk'.

Samsung's messaging tool will work across all major smartphone platforms including iPhone and BlackBerry and will allow users to send text, images, and hand-written notes, as well as chat in groups and share video clips. The company will also expand the offering to all Android-based smartphones and tablets, and it will also be available for download to consumers using rival Android, iPhone and BlackBerry models.

Samsung's rival Apple also plans to roll out iMessage, enabling iPhone and iPad users to send messages to one another over the Internet at no cost, while RIM aims to leverage the popularity of its BlackBerry Messenger with a new music service.

Samsung ChatON will be made available gradually across all major Smartphones, Tablets, notebook PCs and Samsung feature phones, including forthcoming devices showcased at IFA 2011.