Wechat ◦ Invented by Xiaolong Zhang (Allen Zhang) ◦ Released by Tencent in 2011 ◦ Main Goal: to Make a ‘Chat App That Would Disrupt SMS’

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Background Info

◦ Weixin  WeChat ◦ Invented by Xiaolong Zhang (Allen Zhang) ◦ Released by Tencent in 2011 ◦ Main goal: to make a ‘chat app that would disrupt SMS’

◦ August 2011 WeChat adds video clips seven months after their initial launch date along with the “find ◦ Jan 2013 nearby users” feature ◦ WeChat was caught censoring users around the world, caused an international backlash, ◦ March and April 2012 and raised growing concerns over the censorship happening overseas. In March, the app officially had 100 million registered users and a month after came the ◦ Aug2013 name change from “Weixin” to “WeChat.” Many say that this was their first effort to begin ◦ WeChat grows to 100 million registered users outside of China expanding towards the international market. ◦ Summer of 2014 ◦ June 2012 ◦ Companies are no longer focusing on creating apps but instead launching solely as a WeChat failed at going after India seeing how they preferred Facebook and WhatsApp brand account on WeChat. This trend is still ongoing in China today. ◦ July 2012 ◦ March 2015 WeChat adds voice and video calls to their app ◦ Uber gets blocked on WeChat ◦ Summer of 2012 ◦ April 2016 The beginning of the QR code mania. Tencent gave brand accounts the opportunity to ◦ For work purposes, companies and business communication, a special version of WeChat launch on WeChat prompting many companies in China as well as foreign brands to do called Enterprise WeChat (or Qiye Weixin) was launched business on this new app. They were eager to interact with consumers in a much more intimate way.

Features Sticker Gallery ◦ Voice Chat • Friend Radar • Favorite ◦ Group Chat Messages ◦ Moments • Group Chat QR ◦ Free Call Code • Chat History ◦ Video Call Backup ◦ Sticker Gallery • Web WeChat ◦ Broadcast • Shake messages • People Nearby • Walkie Talkie

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Friend Radar Shake

Click "Friend Radar" and tell your friends Everyone who is using the feature Simply press "+" in the top nearby to do the will pop up on your radar screen. right corner and select "Add same. Just tap each icon to add them to Contacts". your contact list.

Shake Walkie Talkie available in the latest versions of WeChat for iOS and Android

An invitation message will be sent to the group chat's members automatically. Click "+" in a group chat conversation and select "Walkie Talkie".

Walkie Talkie Walkie Talkie

Members in the Walkie Talkie will hear you Hold the button in the immediately. Only one person can talk at a Press to hide the Walkie Talkie middle. Talk after the tone time. The indicator light will turn red if you window. You can then return to the when the indicator light press the button while others are speaking, Walkie Talkie session by clicking on the turns green. and you won't be able to talk. green bar in group chat or the Walkie Talkie notice message at the top.

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Walkie Talkie Wechat Payment

Click to quit the Walkie Talkie session. You will no longer receive messages from this session again.

Survey done by China Association For Quality in 2015 • 89.3% of respondents will use Wechat Payment/ Alipay for small amount of purchase (around 200 RMB) • 71.8% of respondents choose Wechat Payment/ Alipay because of convenience

Wechat Whatsapp Line Tencent Facebook QQ Messenger Main Competitors Group Group Call X Group Group Call Group Call Group Call Chat \ Call \ \ \ Use internet to sent messages Size: 100 Size: 256 Size: 200 Photos, audio messages, users’ location Contacts ID and Phone I.D., email I.D. Facebook ◦ Whatsapp  Most popular instant messenger, 1 billion users Wechat I.D. Number & phone I.D.  Based in America and owned by Facebook PC Version Download Web Web Download Download Version Version Version Version Version ◦ Line Launched in Japan Micro blog Friends Circle X Timeline QQ Space Facebook  700 million users, popular in Taiwan Purchase Daily Life X Stickers Q Coins X purchase ◦ Tencent QQ Featured X X e.g.Brown e.g. X Also owned by Tencent Characters Cony Penguin  829 million active QQ accounts Apps Thirdparty X Games Games, Facebook operators Line Third party ◦ Facebook Messenger Didi Taxi Camera operators  operated by Facebook with 900 million monthly active users Limitation Security : Security: Censored Declining Censored Payment Contact in China problem in China