WeChat mobile social app launched in India

Tencent has announced the launch of its most popular global mobile product in India, WeChat, a free mobile voice and text messaging application. Globally, WeChat already has over 100 million registered users making it one of the most popular mobile chat applications in the world.

WeChat comes with features such as text messaging, hold-to-talk voice messaging, broadcast messaging, photo/ video sharing, location sharing and contact information exchange. WeChat is a secure and fast-performing app and comes with innovative social friend-discovery features and an option to stream photo feeds from friends’ personal photo albums.

WeChat is the first application in the communication space to offer ‘Hold-to-Talk’ voice messaging service which enables users to send voice messages at the touch of a button. ‘Moments’ is another key differentiating feature of WeChat where users can post image or text and share with their selected friends in a secure way. Location-based social (LBS) features like ‘Shake’, and ‘Drift Bottle’ enable users from any part of the world to build new connections. 

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WeChat mobile social app launched in India

Dennis Hau, Head of International Product Center, Tencent International Business Group said “We are excited to launch WeChat in India at a time when data based messaging services are on the surge and with the increased proliferation of smartphones, Instant Messaging/Chat Platforms are becoming the preferred mode of communication among youth. WeChat is not just a simple instant messenger mobile app but it is actually a platform that intends to introduce a new communication style where users can connect with each other via interesting push-to talk voice messaging, video call, sharing precious moments (image/text/content) and more, soon to be evolved, features based on users’ needs.”

“We are committed to the Indian market and going forward there will be addition of more social elements in WeChat, with localised content and functions to develop the local community. This is Tencent’s first mobile social product offering in India and we are expecting massive adoption in sync with our global success,” he added.

WeChat features one-on-one and group chat sessions with animated and custom emoticon and emoji art, customizable backgrounds, and a Rock-Paper-Scissors mini-game. The app also encourages creative expression by allowing users to apply artistic filters to their photos, create a personal photo journal, and share photos with friends. WeChat allows users to seamlessly connect with their social circles from phone contacts and Facebook.

“WeChat app stands out for its innovative mobile social sharing features and a more secure communication platform. Our immediate focus is on building the user base, enhancing the experience and eco-system of WeChat in India. We are aiming to become one of the most popular mobile social apps in India over the next 6 months. Globally, WeChat has witnessed enormous success with over 100 million users. India being one of the fastest growing markets for mobile apps and smartphone adoption, we are confident about the success of WeChat here. We will be adding newer features to WeChat on a regular basis,” said Rahul Razdan, President – ibibo Mobile & Gaming.

WeChat is available for free download on Android, iOS, Windows and Symbian mobile platforms. The iOS version of WeChat is already available in Hindi, in addition to several global languages.