WeChat provides multimedia communication with text messaging, hold-to-talk voice messaging, broadcast (one-to-many) messaging, photo/video sharing, location sharing, and contact information exchange. WeChat supports social networking[8] via shared streaming content feeds and location-based social plug-ins ("Shake", "Look Around", and "Drift Bottle") to chat with and connect with local and international WeChat users.[9] Jeff Xiong, Co-Chief Technology Officer of Tencent, manages the WeChat team.
Photos can be taken and embellished with artistic filters, captions, and placed into a personal photo journal for sharing with other users. User data is protected via an on-demand contact list backup and retrieval to/from the cloud. WeChat claims to provide a social networking platform that emphasizes user privacy and fast response performance.[citation needed]
Registration is completed through Facebook Connect, mobile phone SMS/VM, or Tencent QQ. The application was initially launched as Weixin in China in January 2011, with international language support in October 2011, and re-branded as WeChat in April 2012. It is being promoted in India via gaming site Ibibo, in which Tencent holds a stake.[10]
The app is available in the App Store for iTunes, Google Play Store for Android, BlackBerry App World and Marketplace for Windows Phone.
History:
WeChat began as a project at Tencent Guangzhou Research and Project center in October 2010.[11] The original name of the app, "Weixin", was devised by Ma Huateng, Tencent CEO.[12]In May 2011, WeChat had 4-5 million users,[12] and by the end of 2011, it had 50 million users.[13] WeChat had more than 100 million users by March 2012.[13]
In April 2012, Weixin re-branded as WeChat for the international market.[14]
In September 2012, WeChat had more than 200 million users according to Tencent CEO, Ma Huateng.[15] As of January 2013, it had 300 million.[16][17] Today WeChat is the first mobile phone text and voice messaging communication application in the world by users and downloads in the world.[citation needed] It has influence in Mainland China, HK, Taiwan, South-East Asia, and Chinese People areas around the world.[citation needed]
In April 2013, rumors online speculated that WeChat will charge a fee for the app. A poll showed that 90% of users strongly oppose this move.[18] WeChat currently is free to download and use.
In May 2013, it was revealed that Rainie Yang would be a product endorser for WeChat.[19] To promote the app in India, WeChat roped in Bollywood actors Varun Dhawan and Parineeti Chopra as brand ambassadors.[20]
In July 2013, Tencent announced WeChat has 70 million users outside China and Lionel Messi became the latest product ambassador of WeChat.[21]
In July 2013, Tencent announced to test Games within WeChat.[22]
In 5 July 2013, Tencent Wechat 5.0 for iOS. The new version has some new features:
- Download loads of new animated stickers from the Sticker Shop (every stickers $0.99)
- Save favorite content clippings from chats or Moments
- Add friends nearby easily with the new Hold Together function
- Swipe to the right to return from a chat. Double tap the Chats tab to cycle through unread chats
- Scan bar code, cover of the book or album, street view and word
- Play games with your friends in Game Center (preinstalled airplane war)
- Bind credit/debit cards and mobile paying
- Input by voice
- Public Accounts divided two categories: Service (in your chat list) and Official Accounts (in independent list)
- Double-tab the text to show full text
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