Sina Weibo Launching English Version Soon, With the Partnership of FlipBoard and Instagram

By Gang Lu on October 30, 2011

You’ve been wondering when Sina Weibo will be launching its English version. Today, we talked to one official from Weibo management team. He confirmed that the English version of Weibo would be out very soon.

However, launching the site in English is not a big deal (Tencent Weibo’s English version has been launched) .

It’s not about accessing the oversea market, it’s about the oversea companies to access the Chinese users.

The official said they’ve seen a good demand of oversea services which want to connect to Sina Weibo’s service to entertain Chinese users. For the first batch of oversea partners, FlipBoard and Instagram would be in it. With the integration of the Weibo, the Chinese users of FlipBoard and other oversea services would be able to share content on the hottest Chinese social media. “FlipBoard will be launching a Chinese version.” He said, “and of course they will find out a way to get accessible again (Editor: FlipBoard currently is not accessible in China).”

Furthermore, Sina Weibo is also secretly testing its Kik-like feature which can be seen when you send direct message to others on its app. Rumor says Sina Weibo might launch a standalone Kik-like app too, attacking Tencent’s Weixin.

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About Gang Lu

Gang Lu - Founder & Chief Editor of TechNode. Independent Asia/China Internet business observer and adviser, known speaker and tech blogger, open concept/technology evangelist and entrepreneur. Dr. Lu is also the co-founder of OpenWeb.Asia Workgroup and co-founder of kuukie.com. Dr. Lu got his BSc from EastChina Normal University and has MSc and PhD in wireless communications from the University of Sheffield, UK.

Alec

I swear Sina Weibo’s had an English version for months!

new_breed_asia

It’s just the mobile version, not the online that we see on the Web!

http://www.tatamall.com TataMall

I fell very exciting.Because China’s science and technology more and more developed;What’more,it will face the world.
http://www.facebook.com/timjbrown Timothy James Brown

Western companies ability to crack the Chinese market is so difficult now that if Sina can facilitate that they will have many businesses courting them.
André Schappo

Sina Weibo has had an English UI iPhone App for a long time. What is currently lacking is a Web English UI. Despite this there are actually many Western Companies/Brands using Sina Weibo. I have compiled a list of over 200 Western Companies/Brands using Sina Weibo. List is at http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_6fab54120100wohn.html
Adam Levy

I’m curious if this version of Weibo will tie into Sina’s pre-existing API, and can users on the English version communicate with users on the Chinese version.

http://blog.michaelmichelini.com Michael Michelini

yes, its the same database – so i use the english weibo version even i am in china, and talking to chinese users.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7FD2SJG7IDXZTIV2SWBU2GPLOI Beth

Sina’s Weibo will be the biggest and fastest growing social platform in 1 year…bigger than Facebook and Twitter combined!

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Balikpenang

hopefully, weibo will have an english version. if not, the idea of ‘weibo for chines’ is very disturbing. my thoughts are if that happens, china is going back to the mao era…with a closed door policy. it defeats what deng has hoped for.