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What’s Next for Zhang Xiaolong’s Super App WeChat?
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What’s Next for Zhang Xiaolong’s Super App WeChat?

WeChat Open Class Pro’s Seven Take-Aways

Liu Xuewen
Ifanr, 2018
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Comprehensive
  • Analytical
  • Applicable

Recommendation

WeChat, China’s ubiquitous social networking app, held its annual WeChat Open Class Pro conference in January to set the tone for 2018. During his keynote speech at the event, WeChat creator and Tencent senior vice president Zhang Xiaolong covered the recent performance of WeChat's newest features such as of mini programs and mini games, announced plans for an independent app for WeChat wemedia public accounts, laid out WeChat’s values as a company, and outlined how he expects the WeChat ecosystem to evolve going forward. Zhang’s speeches are unpolished and often difficult to follow: At times, he seems to be talking to himself as he jumps from one subject to another. Thankfully, tech media platform Ifanr’s managing editor Liu Xuewen has analyzed and commented on the talk, carving out seven main points of Zhang’s speech. getAbstract recommends this article to anyone interested in the WeChat ecosystem and powerful apps in general. 

Summary

WeChat – Tencent’s messaging app, which has nearly one billion monthly active users – held its 2018 Wechat Open Class Pro conference in Guangzhou. WeChat creator Zhang Xiaolong walked the audience through WeChat’s 2017 accomplishments and the super app’s next steps in 2018, touching seven main points: 

  1. WeChat users may never have to leave the app again – In January 2017, WeChat launched “mini programs” – miniature, low-memory apps within the WeChat app itself. Mini programs are supposed to eliminate the need to download separate standalone apps and allow users to accomplish everything within WeChat. For example, the ride-sharing app Didi or the group-buying app Dianping could create mini programs within WeChat so users can easily access their services without needing to switch apps. In December 2018, WeChat released mini games, which similarly allow users to play games within the app. The most popular mini game, Tiao Yi Tiao (translated as Jump, Jump), recorded 100 million daily active users only two weeks after its launch. Zhang himself set the record score in the game and gave a live demonstration of...

About the Author

Liu Xuewen is the managing editor of tech media platform Ifanr.

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