I don't quite follow the logic here. WeChat still requires a physical phone in order to run and even if WeChat is the only app of any use for China, then why are people still buying iPhones (other than status symbols) and not Android? There's obviously a benefit that is not being discussed right?
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Why so popular? Probably because the dictatorship wants it to be since it almost certainly has access to all data flowing through it. The Chinese people have no freedom of speech, no right to assemble to petition the government (think Tiananmen Square), no right to a political opinion (unless it conforms to the dictatorship’s), no real religious freedom. Look what the dictatorship did to Tibet (a cultural genocide) and now the Uighurs (a physical and cultural genocide. Watch the latest PBS Frontline show). The Chinese people are only a half-step above the poor souls who were unfortunate enough to be born in North Korea.
I live in Switzerland. I started using WeChat when working with a Chinese design company. It is simply brilliant. It is extremely convenient for communication, sharing files and organising work. It handles all sorts of file format, reduces the size and transcodes from one format to the other. You don’t even have to be aware of it. Just post, receive and distribute. It is totally clutter-free, transparent and responsive and there is a great (yet super simple) client for MacBooks. After a while I started noticing that quite a few of my colleges in Switzerland also love WeChat. It is not widely used here, so we (have to) stick to WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. But I wouldn’t mind doing all in WeChat. It really combines simplicity and ease of use in a hugely versatile, powerful and fun application. Shame it is also so problematic.
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Why so popular? Probably because the dictatorship wants it to be since it almost certainly has access to all data flowing through it. The Chinese people have no freedom of speech, no right to assemble to petition the government (think Tiananmen Square), no right to a political opinion (unless it conforms to the dictatorship’s), no real religious freedom. Look what the dictatorship did to Tibet (a cultural genocide) and now the Uighurs (a physical and cultural genocide. Watch the latest PBS Frontline show). The Chinese people are only a half-step above the poor souls who were unfortunate enough to be born in North Korea.
That’s perfect hyperbole. If I were to list US atrocities I would be here all week.
China is becoming a consumer hotspot. Hundreds of Millions are now at the level of a western worker. That’s why Apple allows WeChat etc. That’s not going to change. Blame globalist capitalism.
So for Apple to succeed it must let go of all of its security and privacy? Is that what the author is saying? The author seems to imply that unless Apple does this it is doomed. I guess that’s okay in a totalitarian dictatorship but what about democracies burdened with human rights and privacy protections?
Anyone who thinks ANY Chinese company is not monitored and controlled by the government is simply delusional.
One good thing that has come out of the pandemic so far is that people are realizing that almost all PPE is produced in China. The U.S. makes almost none of it, from masks, to ventilators, to hand sanitizer. Oh, and almost ALL generic drugs are manufactured in China too. That blood pressure or diabetes medication you take... made in and shipped from China. Because of cheap labor don’t you know. We now know that we in the U.S. are basically at China’s mercy economically. Maybe, just maybe, this crisis will open some eyes but I doubt it. Price trumps everything, just like the trolls who scream about Apple’s products being overpriced.
And as for the author’s claim that Google’s services are banned in China, I dispute that. As I recall Google made the decision to exit China because it would not acquiesce to the communist dictatorship’s demands.
First, most drugs, the common critical drugs on every ER cart are made in China OR India.
But, not cheap labor but a lot of labor -- skilled labor. The number of people with a necessary skill in China would fill several football stadiums -- in the US, we might be able to fill the orchestra seats in a theater.
That’s from Tim Cook. He was talking about process engineers.
Whats happening here is what has happened multiple times in capitalism. Industry moves countries and the old de-industrialised country loses power. Britain was the workshop of the world in its heyday, and ruled the world. Then Germany gained industrial power and challenged Europe. After the world wars the U.K. lost most of its industry and the US and the USSR dominate as industrial powers, while Western Europe does ok. Then comes the end of the USSR and it’s looting by ultra capitalists so the US ends up the sole super power. But It’s the iron law of capitalism that industry moves to cheaper areas of production - and Asia has taken over industry. Extricating from that situation is nigh impossible so the future is probably an Asian century.
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Why so popular? Probably because the dictatorship wants it to be since it almost certainly has access to all data flowing through it. The Chinese people have no freedom of speech, no right to assemble to petition the government (think Tiananmen Square), no right to a political opinion (unless it conforms to the dictatorship’s), no real religious freedom. Look what the dictatorship did to Tibet (a cultural genocide) and now the Uighurs (a physical and cultural genocide. Watch the latest PBS Frontline show). The Chinese people are only a half-step above the poor souls who were unfortunate enough to be born in North Korea.
I live in Switzerland. I started using WeChat when working with a Chinese design company. It is simply brilliant. It is extremely convenient for communication, sharing files and organising work. It handles all sorts of file format, reduces the size and transcodes from one format to the other. You don’t even have to be aware of it. Just post, receive and distribute. It is totally clutter-free, transparent and responsive and there is a great (yet super simple) client for MacBooks. After a while I started noticing that quite a few of my colleges in Switzerland also love WeChat. It is not widely used here, so we (have to) stick to WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. But I wouldn’t mind doing all in WeChat. It really combines simplicity and ease of use in a hugely versatile, powerful and fun application. Shame it is also so problematic.
All of those glowing praises without acknowledging that everything you did or said while using it went straight to the totalitarian government in China. What, you don’t care
This article is, what, 5+ years late? WeChat has been the dominant social/payment/everything app in China for years now. Articles on how WeChat *is the operating system" have come and gone for years. WeChat's *ascent* has been over for awhile.
Just wait approximately 12-18 months to read a re-hashed version of this article written by someone else. The article will most likely be timed for publication before Apple announces earnings.
Notice there are no article about Apple’s stock price rising $5+ per share yesterday and another $13.80 per share today. This would be a feel good, cheerful article but since it would be about Apple that article won’t see the light of day unlike the WeChat article.
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Facebook isn't even close to being like WeChat. Bet your bottom dollar, they are trying though. So are all the major players. The article touches on it, but doesn't go far enough. WeChat is a fully fleshed out ecosystem in a single app. It's built so that a user never has to leave their environment to do anything that's done electronically. A Chinese user could have no other apps on their phone besides WeChat and they wouldn't miss a beat. ← That's not hyperbole. Whether using an iOS or Android device, every aspect of a users digital life can be handled through WeChat. The user never has to leave the app. The next largest social app in China is QQ. Both are owned by Tencent. That is one thing that is similar. Facebook (WhatsApp & FB Messenger) and Tencent (WeChat & QQ) own the top two messaging apps in their respective spheres of influence. No one else is even close.
I observed this in China. It really offers so much beyond chat it really could be an OS with multiple services. Where Amazon failed with Fire Phone (only shopping), I think Tencent could succeed with a WeChat Phone (payment, banking, shopping, social media, mass transit ticketing, etc.). Built by Huawei.
Edited for clarity.
So basically rip off Apple's hard work with ZERO originality and push them out of the market.
Users are not looking for “originality”. They are looking for a platform to use WeChat.
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Why so popular? Probably because the dictatorship wants it to be since it almost certainly has access to all data flowing through it. The Chinese people have no freedom of speech, no right to assemble to petition the government (think Tiananmen Square), no right to a political opinion (unless it conforms to the dictatorship’s), no real religious freedom. Look what the dictatorship did to Tibet (a cultural genocide) and now the Uighurs (a physical and cultural genocide. Watch the latest PBS Frontline show). The Chinese people are only a half-step above the poor souls who were unfortunate enough to be born in North Korea.
I wish we had freedom from religion, freedom from guns, freedom from dummies, freedom from forums.
Next up, freedom from you deciding what the rest of us want (though you may fall under “freedom from dummies”?)
So for Apple to succeed it must let go of all of its security and privacy? Is that what the author is saying? The author seems to imply that unless Apple does this it is doomed. I guess that’s okay in a totalitarian dictatorship but what about democracies burdened with human rights and privacy protections?
Anyone who thinks ANY Chinese company is not monitored and controlled by the government is simply delusional.
One good thing that has come out of the pandemic so far is that people are realizing that almost all PPE is produced in China. The U.S. makes almost none of it, from masks, to ventilators, to hand sanitizer. Oh, and almost ALL generic drugs are manufactured in China too. That blood pressure or diabetes medication you take... made in and shipped from China. Because of cheap labor don’t you know. We now know that we in the U.S. are basically at China’s mercy economically. Maybe, just maybe, this crisis will open some eyes but I doubt it. Price trumps everything, just like the trolls who scream about Apple’s products being overpriced.
And as for the author’s claim that Google’s services are banned in China, I dispute that. As I recall Google made the decision to exit China because it would not acquiesce to the communist dictatorship’s demands.
First, most drugs, the common critical drugs on every ER cart are made in China OR India.
But, not cheap labor but a lot of labor -- skilled labor. The number of people with a necessary skill in China would fill several football stadiums -- in the US, we might be able to fill the orchestra seats in a theater.
So... Tim Cook was and is accurate when he mentions “skilled labor” in China vs the USA, eh?
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Facebook isn't even close to being like WeChat. Bet your bottom dollar, they are trying though. So are all the major players. The article touches on it, but doesn't go far enough. WeChat is a fully fleshed out ecosystem in a single app. It's built so that a user never has to leave their environment to do anything that's done electronically. A Chinese user could have no other apps on their phone besides WeChat and they wouldn't miss a beat. ← That's not hyperbole. Whether using an iOS or Android device, every aspect of a users digital life can be handled through WeChat. The user never has to leave the app. The next largest social app in China is QQ. Both are owned by Tencent. That is one thing that is similar. Facebook (WhatsApp & FB Messenger) and Tencent (WeChat & QQ) own the top two messaging apps in their respective spheres of influence. No one else is even close.
I observed this in China. It really offers so much beyond chat it really could be an OS with multiple services. Where Amazon failed with Fire Phone (only shopping), I think Tencent could succeed with a WeChat Phone (payment, banking, shopping, social media, mass transit ticketing, etc.). Built by Huawei.
Edited for clarity.
So basically rip off Apple's hard work with ZERO originality and push them out of the market.
That is basically China's MO for any foreign (western country) company's IP.
Bingo! And our dumb ass CEO's let them do it for short term profits and their own options!
I don't quite follow the logic here. WeChat still requires a physical phone in order to run and even if WeChat is the only app of any use for China, then why are people still buying iPhones (other than status symbols) and not Android? There's obviously a benefit that is not being discussed right?
I think the problem may be your assumption about phone sales in China. The Chinese are buying Android by an overwhelming margin. The crux of the article is, in China, WeChat is the must have app regardless of hardware. Whether it's Apple, Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi, or whomever, that hardware better shine with WeChat or it ain't going to be viable in China. Just like the Android handset makers, Apple hardware has to play nice with WeChat or it ain't gonna sell.
You already hit on the benefit of iPhone in China. It's still a status symbol in certain circles.
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Why so popular? Probably because the dictatorship wants it to be since it almost certainly has access to all data flowing through it. The Chinese people have no freedom of speech, no right to assemble to petition the government (think Tiananmen Square), no right to a political opinion (unless it conforms to the dictatorship’s), no real religious freedom. Look what the dictatorship did to Tibet (a cultural genocide) and now the Uighurs (a physical and cultural genocide. Watch the latest PBS Frontline show). The Chinese people are only a half-step above the poor souls who were unfortunate enough to be born in North Korea.
I wish we had freedom from religion, freedom from guns, freedom from dummies, freedom from forums.
Ya know, you don’t need to follow a religion, you don’t have to buy a gun, you don’t have to hang around people you consider dummies, and you don’t have to read or comment on this forum. You’ve got choices. Not everyone does in some countries.
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Why so popular? Probably because the dictatorship wants it to be since it almost certainly has access to all data flowing through it. The Chinese people have no freedom of speech, no right to assemble to petition the government (think Tiananmen Square), no right to a political opinion (unless it conforms to the dictatorship’s), no real religious freedom. Look what the dictatorship did to Tibet (a cultural genocide) and now the Uighurs (a physical and cultural genocide. Watch the latest PBS Frontline show). The Chinese people are only a half-step above the poor souls who were unfortunate enough to be born in North Korea.
I live in Switzerland. I started using WeChat when working with a Chinese design company. It is simply brilliant. It is extremely convenient for communication, sharing files and organising work. It handles all sorts of file format, reduces the size and transcodes from one format to the other. You don’t even have to be aware of it. Just post, receive and distribute. It is totally clutter-free, transparent and responsive and there is a great (yet super simple) client for MacBooks. After a while I started noticing that quite a few of my colleges in Switzerland also love WeChat. It is not widely used here, so we (have to) stick to WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. But I wouldn’t mind doing all in WeChat. It really combines simplicity and ease of use in a hugely versatile, powerful and fun application. Shame it is also so problematic.
As long as you are not working with intellectual property, or with banking and financial data, or storing personal medical records, or discussing anything you might want to keep private, go for it. Otherwise, here comes that problematic part.
So for Apple to succeed it must let go of all of its security and privacy? Is that what the author is saying? The author seems to imply that unless Apple does this it is doomed. I guess that’s okay in a totalitarian dictatorship but what about democracies burdened with human rights and privacy protections?
Anyone who thinks ANY Chinese company is not monitored and controlled by the government is simply delusional.
One good thing that has come out of the pandemic so far is that people are realizing that almost all PPE is produced in China. The U.S. makes almost none of it, from masks, to ventilators, to hand sanitizer. Oh, and almost ALL generic drugs are manufactured in China too. That blood pressure or diabetes medication you take... made in and shipped from China. Because of cheap labor don’t you know. We now know that we in the U.S. are basically at China’s mercy economically. Maybe, just maybe, this crisis will open some eyes but I doubt it. Price trumps everything, just like the trolls who scream about Apple’s products being overpriced.
And as for the author’s claim that Google’s services are banned in China, I dispute that. As I recall Google made the decision to exit China because it would not acquiesce to the communist dictatorship’s demands.
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Why so popular? Probably because the dictatorship wants it to be since it almost certainly has access to all data flowing through it. The Chinese people have no freedom of speech, no right to assemble to petition the government (think Tiananmen Square), no right to a political opinion (unless it conforms to the dictatorship’s), no real religious freedom. Look what the dictatorship did to Tibet (a cultural genocide) and now the Uighurs (a physical and cultural genocide. Watch the latest PBS Frontline show). The Chinese people are only a half-step above the poor souls who were unfortunate enough to be born in North Korea.
I live in Switzerland. I started using WeChat when working with a Chinese design company. It is simply brilliant. It is extremely convenient for communication, sharing files and organising work. It handles all sorts of file format, reduces the size and transcodes from one format to the other. You don’t even have to be aware of it. Just post, receive and distribute. It is totally clutter-free, transparent and responsive and there is a great (yet super simple) client for MacBooks. After a while I started noticing that quite a few of my colleges in Switzerland also love WeChat. It is not widely used here, so we (have to) stick to WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. But I wouldn’t mind doing all in WeChat. It really combines simplicity and ease of use in a hugely versatile, powerful and fun application. Shame it is also so problematic.
All of those glowing praises without acknowledging that everything you did or said while using it went straight to the totalitarian government in China the USA via the NSA. What, you don’t care
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Facebook isn't even close to being like WeChat. Bet your bottom dollar, they are trying though. So are all the major players. The article touches on it, but doesn't go far enough. WeChat is a fully fleshed out ecosystem in a single app. It's built so that a user never has to leave their environment to do anything that's done electronically. A Chinese user could have no other apps on their phone besides WeChat and they wouldn't miss a beat. ← That's not hyperbole. Whether using an iOS or Android device, every aspect of a users digital life can be handled through WeChat. The user never has to leave the app. The next largest social app in China is QQ. Both are owned by Tencent. That is one thing that is similar. Facebook (WhatsApp & FB Messenger) and Tencent (WeChat & QQ) own the top two messaging apps in their respective spheres of influence. No one else is even close.
I observed this in China. It really offers so much beyond chat it really could be an OS with multiple services. Where Amazon failed with Fire Phone (only shopping), I think Tencent could succeed with a WeChat Phone (payment, banking, shopping, social media, mass transit ticketing, etc.). Built by Huawei.
Edited for clarity.
So basically rip off Apple's hard work with ZERO originality and push them out of the market.
That is basically China's MO for any foreign (western country) company's IP.
Bingo! And our dumb ass CEO's let them do it for short term profits and their own options!
Short term profits? This has been going in various ways for 40 years. That argument worked in the 1980's. No longer....
How is this app that much different any app that has 'everything-and-the-kitchen-sink' built into them (like Facebook had they not broken Messenger out into a separate app)?
And why is WeChat so popular in China? What's to prevent the latest and greatest chap app to come around in a year or two to knock it off its pertch?
Why so popular? Probably because the dictatorship wants it to be since it almost certainly has access to all data flowing through it. The Chinese people have no freedom of speech, no right to assemble to petition the government (think Tiananmen Square), no right to a political opinion (unless it conforms to the dictatorship’s), no real religious freedom. Look what the dictatorship did to Tibet (a cultural genocide) and now the Uighurs (a physical and cultural genocide. Watch the latest PBS Frontline show). The Chinese people are only a half-step above the poor souls who were unfortunate enough to be born in North Korea.
I wish we had freedom from religion, freedom from guns, freedom from dummies, freedom from forums.
Ya know, you don’t need to follow a religion, you don’t have to buy a gun, you don’t have to hang around people you consider dummies, and you don’t have to read or comment on this forum. You’ve got choices. Not everyone does in some countries.
Unfortunately, religious beliefs are being imposed on us under the guise of "religious freedom", and you can't escape the epidemic of gun nuts. And nor does it seem possible to escape the flood of propagandized dummies.
Vote for Donnie the Con and we will be somewhere below a third rate power as the rest of the world moves on from his corruption, incompetence and histrionics.
For myself, I welcome a return to a peaceful, productive relationship with our partners. The world is tough enough without making it harder.
So for Apple to succeed it must let go of all of its security and privacy? Is that what the author is saying? The author seems to imply that unless Apple does this it is doomed. I guess that’s okay in a totalitarian dictatorship but what about democracies burdened with human rights and privacy protections?
Anyone who thinks ANY Chinese company is not monitored and controlled by the government is simply delusional.
One good thing that has come out of the pandemic so far is that people are realizing that almost all PPE is produced in China. The U.S. makes almost none of it, from masks, to ventilators, to hand sanitizer. Oh, and almost ALL generic drugs are manufactured in China too. That blood pressure or diabetes medication you take... made in and shipped from China. Because of cheap labor don’t you know. We now know that we in the U.S. are basically at China’s mercy economically. Maybe, just maybe, this crisis will open some eyes but I doubt it. Price trumps everything, just like the trolls who scream about Apple’s products being overpriced.
And as for the author’s claim that Google’s services are banned in China, I dispute that. As I recall Google made the decision to exit China because it would not acquiesce to the communist dictatorship’s demands.
I like that many of the alcoholic beverage companies in the US are now getting into the hand sanitizer market. When customers demand, supply soon follows.
Comments
China is becoming a consumer hotspot. Hundreds of Millions are now at the level of a western worker. That’s why Apple allows WeChat etc. That’s not going to change. Blame globalist capitalism.
Whats happening here is what has happened multiple times in capitalism. Industry moves countries and the old de-industrialised country loses power. Britain was the workshop of the world in its heyday, and ruled the world. Then Germany gained industrial power and challenged Europe. After the world wars the U.K. lost most of its industry and the US and the USSR dominate as industrial powers, while Western Europe does ok. Then comes the end of the USSR and it’s looting by ultra capitalists so the US ends up the sole super power. But It’s the iron law of capitalism that industry moves to cheaper areas of production - and Asia has taken over industry. Extricating from that situation is nigh impossible so the future is probably an Asian century.
You already hit on the benefit of iPhone in China. It's still a status symbol in certain circles.
Just another China hater... yawn....
Short term profits? This has been going in various ways for 40 years.
That argument worked in the 1980's. No longer....
Unfortunately, religious beliefs are being imposed on us under the guise of "religious freedom", and you can't escape the epidemic of gun nuts. And nor does it seem possible to escape the flood of propagandized dummies.
The choices here are becoming rather slim.