African mobile social network Mxit has hinted it plans to unveil version 7 of its instant messaging applications on the same day that technology conference AfricaCom kicks off in Cape Town.

Mxit has not revealed further details to ITWeb Africa about the upgrade, but the company has sent journalists in South Africa press packs containing images of what looks to be its upgraded application.

Mxit’s press relations team has told ITWeb Africa that it plans to reveal all on Tuesday, 12 November, which is the same day that technology conference AfricaCom kicks off in Cape Town, South Africa.

Mxit’s press packs further include a reference to Twitter hashtag “#Mxit7”.

And images in the press pack of what appears to be Mxit’s Apple iOS version 7 application, for example, show a much cleaner chat interface (pictured).

The mobile messaging firm has also showed off screenshots of how the app could look for Nokia devices such as the Asha 501.

On the Google Play apps store, Mxit is currently available in version 6.4.2.46 as a free download.

Features of the current app include chat and even multiplayer or single-player games.

Mxit says its current app works on over 3,000 different handsets and various platforms, including BlackBerry, Android, iOS, J2ME and Windows.

However, the move by Mxit to launch the next version of its mobile app comes as management and market changes have affected the social network.

The former chief executive officer of South Africa’s First National Bank (FNB) Michael Jordaan joined Mxit as chairman of its board of directors in September shortly after Francois Swart was named chief executive officer of Mxit.

Meanwhile, according to a research report by World Wide Worx and Fuseware called “A Social Media Landscape 2014”, instant messaging service 2go has overtaken Mxit in Africa.

The report said 2go has 10.5 million monthly active users across Africa while Mxit has 7.4 million active users on the continent.