WeChat has unveiled a new feature that it says has the potential to change the way in which apps are used. The so-called “mini-apps” will allow users to use a range of smaller apps within the WeChat messaging app itself. This will allow the service to present an alternative app store to Chinese consumers, to compete with the Apple App Store and Android app stores. Tencent has said that the idea behind the new feature is to enable users to use apps that they otherwise will not use very often, such as recipe guides or taxi-hailing apps. In turn, these services will then take up much less storage space on your device. The mini-apps will also offer brands a way to target users directly within the WeChat messaging service who, with the addition of infinitely more features, are expected to spend far more time on the app.Â
