According to Tencent’s official, its mobile messaging service Weixin (which was launched in January 2011, basically combines the ideas of Kik and Talkbox as core functions) has over 50millions registered and 20millions active users by end of 2011. Tencent is already un-beatable in China with its instant messenger QQ’s huge user base in past ~10 years, and with Weixin’s rock’n roll in mobile market, it may become un-stoppable again in next 10 years?!
Thanks to the globalized mobile app market, Tencent’s ambition seems not only on China any more soon. We recently talked to an insider who told us that Tencent’s planning a big Ads campaign to promote Weixin oversea, on both Android and iOS market. Tencent is usually Shy to talk about its English product. Remember that when we first broke out the news of its launching its multi-language version of QQ, instead of saying it’s for the global market, they told us that the product is to help foreigners who live in China to plug into Chinese communities. So I asked the guy, what Tencent wants this time, to attract more Chinese users who live oversea? He said No and it’s for foreign users. That clearly implied to me that the campaign is to promote Weixin’s English version for foreign users and it’s to compete with Kik, Talkbox and other English mobile messaging service.
You may argue that Weixin copied the idea of Kik and Talkbox, but, the fact we have to admit is that, when you play with Weixin, and you will realize it’s truly better than those origins. Weixin’s English site has been launched, and the English versions seems already available for Android, iOS, Windows Phone and even Symbian.
Tencent, do you want to become a global King?
