Chinese app expands into telephone territory with its latest function
After a period of rapid adoption, online companies are faced with the decision to monetize their existing users or plough investment into acquiring new ones, deferring profit generation.
WeChat is aiming for the latter, following a series of add-ons with a grab at the telecoms segment. Its latest function will allow users to make free VoIP calls and offers functionality to back up all contacts via the app. So, not only will users be free to make and receive calls, their contacts will also be permanently stored in the cloud.
Data charges will still apply, but at 300K per minute under 2G/3G/4G networks it is still an attractive option.
WeChat has also been targeting China's business users, gamers, developers and socialites recently in a bid to become the nation's s one-stop-shop for mobile users. Lubricants marketers planning regional or national campaigns would do well to consider WeChat as an important place to engage a captive audience, especially as growth in China’s existing social media like Weibo and Renren is slowing.