WeChat rolls out 'mini programs' in a bid to kill off apps

One can apply photo filters, check bus, movie timings through the app; reports Tech in Asia

China’s top messaging app, with over 840 million active users, is trying something radical. WeChat is today rolling out "mini-programs,” embedded apps which require no download or install.

Tencent chose to use “mini programs” because Apple would not permit the use of the word “app”, according to Ma Huateng, CEO of the $240 billion firm that runs WeChat.

After months of beta testing, many companies have these instant apps ready for use within WeChat.

“Mini programs are deliberately meant to be discovered socially through friends or in the real world by scanning QR codes. There is no official app store for mini-programs,” says Matthew Brennan, co-founder of China Channel and a keen watcher of how WeChat is used by businesses.

Once used, these instant apps remain listed within a user’s WeChat, but can be removed easily with a swipe – just like a message.

One additional feature available only on Android: the WeChat instant apps can be pinned to your phone’s home screen.

Although it’s early days, some of the initial instant apps show the huge potential of the feature – such as:

1. Ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing’s live timings for nearby bus routes.
2. Prisma-esque photo app is another powerful example, applying artsy filters faster than Prisma itself.

Photo courtesy: Tech in Asia

1. 3. Browse nearby cinema screenings and buy tickets for Rogue One

WeChat instant apps are an evolution of its brand accounts, which allow for online shopping and a wide range of other services.

Half of WeChat users spend at least 90 minutes each day within the app. With its “mini programs,” China’s social media giant wants even more of people’s time.

This is an excerpt from the article published on Tech In Asia. You can read the full article here.