Introduced as a messaging app in 2011 by Tencent, WeChat has evolved into lifestyle platform for users in China. With ~850 million monthly active users, it now offers to its users what Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, Venmo, Grubhub, Amazon, Uber, Apple Pay, etc. together offer in the West. The blog discusses how WeChat has used the strong network effects to emerge as the one app that rules them all.
Messaging
Facebook Bets Big on Bots with Messenger Platform
With a billion people using Facebook Messenger – and Zuckerberg’s public promise that Messenger will make sure you “never have to call 1-800-FLOWERS again” – will Facebook’s newest platform prove that bots are hot… or not?
Slack: B2B’s Home Base, the Everything Enterprise Platform
Slack's humble beginnings as a feature within a game soon became a product with a cult-like following. Is its rapid growth a result of its platform for 3rd party enterprise SaaS integrations, and does that raise switching costs as the platform becomes the home base for the modern enterprise?
WeChat: How a Chinese Messaging App is Winning the Internet
WeChat has pioneered the messaging-as-a-platform business model, generating massive revenue from its 600 million active users and capturing value across industries from banking to transportation. Where will it grow next?
Viber: Who needs a cell phone plan anyway?
How Viber is winning the telecom war.
Snapchat – Threatening Incumbent Social Media and Content Providers with Strong User Empathy
Snapchat threatens incumbent social media and content providers by listening to its young users