WeChat to Reorganize Public Accounts, Add E-Commerce Features
Tencent Tech, 6/07/13
Screenshots leaked yesterday of the beta-test version of Tencent's (0700.HK) upgraded WeChat (Weixin) mobile messaging application (version 5.0), show changes to the layout of WeChat's public accounts platform and modifications to the app's barcode scanning function.
Within WeChat's contacts page, the public accounts section will be split into "subscription" and "enterprise" channels. Public accounts to which a user has subscribed will now be found within the "subscriptions" section. Moreover, updates from subscription accounts will no longer be posted alongside updates from regular accounts, but will instead be split off under another dedicated menu option. It is unclear presently which public accounts will be considered "enterprises," but it has been reported that enterprises are able to send one mass post to multiple users once a month, and that this post will continue to be displayed within the user's news feed alongside updates from regular accounts.
WeChat's scanning functionality has been modified to include new features. Users will be able to use WeChat to scan the barcodes of products to receive the specific name of the product and a link to that product on B2C e-commerce websites such as Amazon China and Dangdang (NYSE: DANG). Users can also use the scanning function to scan the cover of a book or CD to find out more about its contents, receive book reviews from Chinese arts and music SNS Douban, and also be given a link to purchase the book or CD on both Dangdang and Beijing-based B2C e-commerce platform Jingdong. Another new feature of WeChat is the street-level view function, which automatically determines a user's location and displays relevant information on the surrounding area. Finally, users will be able to use their handset's camera to scan English words and receive its Chinese translation within the app.
Another added feature of WeChat's latest upgrade allows users to view videos that are playing on nearby devices by shaking user handsets. Once shaken, the app will identify the video being played using voice recognition technology and give the user the option to watch the video on his or her own device.
Editor's Note: For more background on this topic, please see "Rumor: WeChat Upgrade May Add Payment, Subscriptions, Gaming" MD 5/03/13 issue and "WeChat: Public Accounts Are Not a Marketing Tool" MD 6/05/13 issue.
Keywords: mobile video e-commerce wireless Tencent 0700.HK WeChat mobile application mobile IM
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