WeChat: More Than Just a Chat App
A social network, a messaging service and much more.
When I first went to Guangdong, China, something I quickly noticed was the use of WeChat. It was no longer WhatsApp but WeChat. Some people often call it the Chinese WhatsApp. Something that I liked about this app was its built-in translator that allowed me to communicate with friends and family in the region. In China, the most used app in 2020 was WeChat. Unlike WhatsApp, in WeChat, people can have social networking moments, food ordering, shopping, payment and even send red envelopes on Chinese New Year. While many can compare WeChat to WhatsApp, this comparison misses a whole digital ecosystem that blends social media, e-commerce, and financial services into one app.