China smartphone makers join hands on apps, pose threat to WeChat


FILE PHOTO: WeChat mascots are displayed inside Tencent office at the TIT Creativity Industry Zone in Guangzhou, China May 9, 2017. REUTERS/Bobby Yip/File Photo

HONG KONG: China's biggest smartphone makers are collaborating to promote download-free "fast apps", in a move backed by the government and likely to threaten Tencent Holdings' grip on mobile traffic with its wildly popular WeChat app.

The messenger-to-payment app WeChat, which has more than 1 billion users, last year launched "mini-programs" within the app that look and operate much like apps on Apple Inc's iOS and Google's Android operating systems, but are far less data-intensive.

Play, subscribe and stand a chance to win prizes worth over RM39,000! T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 11.12/month

Billed as RM 11.12 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 9.87/month

Billed as RM 118.40 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Tech News

PIMCO weighs $14 billion debt deal for Oracle's Michigan data center, Bloomberg News reports
Anthropic touts AI cybersecurity project with Big Tech partners
Intel joins Musk's Terafab AI chip project to power humanoid, data center goals
Uber bets on Amazon's custom chips to boost AI efforts
Fox to integrate Kalshi prediction market data across news platforms
Depressed tech valuations could offer entry point for investors, Goldman Sachs says
Like analysing a crime scene: Experts explain how to expose deepfakes
AI could change the world. But first it is changing Silicon Valley.
AI-generated artists break through in country music
Why 'unretired' US seniors are picking up gig work to pay the bills

Others Also Read