Archives: December 2015

New Year, New Feature: “WeChat Out”

December 31, 2015NewsVoice Call, WeChat OutWeChat

To ring in the New Year, we’ve launched WeChat Out, a new VOIP feature designed by WeChat to help users call mobile and landlines around the globe at low rates. WeChat Out is only available for users outside of Mainland China. Currently, the feature is live in the United States, Hong Kong and India, and will cover more countries and regions in the near future.

WeChat Out not only provides excellent call quality, but also offers super-low calling rates. With WeChat Out, you can call at any time and anywhere.

As our New Year gift to you, we have given you $0.99 USD in calling fees, providing up to 100 minutes of free calls for most numbers around the globe (See Calling Rates in FAQ). Update your version of WeChat and enjoy calling now.

A few tips for using WeChat Out:

1. Tap the “+” icon on the top right of the main screen and select WeChat Out

2. Select the mobile contact you’d like to call or dial the number in the dial pad to make a call

Our Ultimate Alternative Holiday Gift Guide

December 24, 2015FunOfficial Accounts, WeChat Gives BackWeChat

The holidays are approaching and the scramble to find the perfect gift for your friends is on.

They say this is the season of giving, so why not give back to charitable organizations and give your friends and family an alternative gift this year via WeChat?

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy works around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. By following its official account, you can view beautiful nature photos and learn more about habitats and animals.

You can also donate directly to The Nature Conservancy, purchase an honorary tribute gift, or plant a billion trees on earth.

To follow The Nature Conservancy, search for the WeChat ID “Nature_org.”

Sticker Story –WeChat’s Most Festive Duo Woodie and Snooo

December 24, 2015FunHolidays, Sticker Story, StickersWeChat

The inseparable duo, Woodie and Snooo, are here as this year’s holiday sticker set!

Woodie and Snooo typically roam around villages around Christmas time, trying to find warmth together. The duo has built a strong relationship with each other by sticking around one another during the cold winter months.

Woodie

Woodie the Christmas tree is full of spirit, but usually has more mood swings than Snooo. He is very excitable, but always gets let down because his expectations are higher than the outcomes. As a drama queen, Woodie tends to blow things out of proportion and exaggerate even the smallest things. But at the end of the day, he relies on Snooo to be there for him, especially when it gets cold.

WeChat Invests R50 million Seed Fund in African Tech Startups

December 8, 2015NewsSouth Africa, WeChat LifestyleWeChat

WeChat South Africa, Brett Loubster WeChat is investing R50 million in tech companies supporting local talents and innovations.

The fund will be used to identify and support tech-enabled businesses by assisting with rapid market access using the WeChat platform. Access to markets was listed as one of the biggest inhibitors to growth for tech-enabled businesses, in the recent Emerging Companies survey conducted by PWC and Silicon Cape.

To coordinate the initiative, tech strategy practice firm, Batstone, has been appointed by WeChat Africa to source and coordinate its early stage investment opportunities.

Brett Loubser, head of WeChat Africa says, ”Our fund aims to provide financial support to businesses so that they can effectively get on the WeChat platform. This will include technical integration and communications tactics across the Naspers’ stable and other suited channels.”

China CITIC Bank International First Bank to Launch WeChat Pay in Hong Kong

December 4, 2015NewsHong Kong, WeChat PayWeChat

China CITIC Bank International Limited (the “Bank” or “CNCBI”) announced this week the launch of WeChat Pay on its WeChat Official Account (“OA”). CNCBI first launched its OA last October. Now CNCBI extends its offerings from instant banking services to WeChat Pay, becoming the first banking institution in Hong Kong to embrace this e-payment solution. Customers purchasing single-trip travel insurance packages from CNCBI via WeChat Pay will get a 50% premium discount, while they can enjoy the convenience of an innovative experience with a variety of banking services.

“CNCBI Travel Insurance Packages” via WeChat Pay is available for both existing and non CNCBI customers. All customers simply need to log onto their WeChat accounts and “follow” the CNCBI WeChat OA, tap the “Banking Services” icon on the CNCBI OA, then “Purchase Travel Insurance”. Customers will be redirected to WeChat Pay to settle the payment by VISA or MasterCard to complete the transaction.

We Chat About WeChat #4: Deep Diving into the WeChat Lifestyle by Numbers

December 2, 2015Inside WeChat, NewsPodcast, We Chat About WeChat, WeChat LifestyleWeChat

Following our recent announcement showcasing how WeChat users are increasingly integrating the app into their daily lives, we are now giving you a front-row seat at the original data reveal.

Hear directly from our very own Stephen Wang, who manages the International Operations team and Data Analytics team for WeChat’s Core Product Group, as he presents the latest WeChat Lifestyle findings at a recent event in San Francisco.

With 570M daily users, WeChat is paving the way for so much more than just chatting. Stay tuned for more “We Chat About WeChat” podcasts coming soon.

If you or someone you know wants to join our team, building the WeChat Lifestyle for millions, we are hiring talented product managers. Click here to apply now: http://www.wechat.com/en/careers.html

WeChat Blog: Chatterbox

The Official WeChat Blog