China’s biggest smartphone vendors are getting together for a
software platform offering access to apps that can provide an
alternative for WeChat’s more than 1 billion users.
Huawei Technologies Co., Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi Corp. are teaming with
six smaller brands for Quick App, which lets users access a range of
services including mobile payments. That’s a direct challenge to the
mini programs of WeChat, owned by Tencent Holdings Ltd., which lets
users order food and rent bikes without ever leaving the app.
WeChat, which is available on all the major operating systems, is
nearly ubiquitous in China as people use their smartphone to buy food,
pay bills and send money to friends. Mini programs has further
entrenched the app by making it a one-stop shop for daily essentials and
helping Tencent capture more of the revenue spent by consumers.
The vendors will each have equal status in the alliance, which is
designed to improve efficiency for both smartphone users and app
developers, said Kaylene Hong, a spokeswoman for Xiaomi.
Source - TheJakartaPost
