Tech

10 Facts About WeChat You Probably Didn’t Know About

2017-12-07 , 6:23 pm

I‘m sure we all rely on WhatsApp a lot.

It’s the last thing I look at before I sleep and the first thing I look at when I wake up.

Don’t confuse this with ‘What’s the first thing you do when you wake up’… It’s a trick question. The answer is to open my eyes duh.

Anyway, there’s a WhatsApp counterpart in China and I’m sure you’ve heard of it as well.

drumroll…….

It’s WeChat!

It is currently #4 on the Social Networking charts on App Store and #13 Top Free App on Google Play Store.

hmm, pretty impressive.

Here are 10 quick facts on this seemingly underrated app in Singapore:

1) Multiple Video Chats

WeChat allows video calls for groups of maximum 9 members. This function comes in handy if you want to discuss work or plan a quick getaway.

By the way, have you read our article on how to plan for your 2018 long weekends?

Fret not, here you go.

2) Hide stuff from certain people

There’s a Mention section on WeChat, which functions like the Facebook feed. WeChat allows users to choose whose updates they don’t want to see.

All you have to do is to hold onto the person’s profile picture for 2 seconds and the options bar will pop up.This basically helps to filter out those whom you added out of politeness.

And that girl who spams selfies all day.

3) Make your post invisible

Similarly, you can also choose to make your posts invisible to some.

Now that’s handy if you’re gonna rant about your horrible day at work. I’m sure you wouldn’t want your boss to see that.

You can make the changes using the same method as above.

4) Spy on your friends

While Facebook only tells you what your Friends like and comment on, WeChat allows users to find out what their friends have been reading, without them actually sharing the information.

All you have to do is to go to Subscriptions, choose Search Articles, and choose ‘Original articles read by friends’.

Now go ahead and tell them what you saw. Tell them you took up mind reading courses.

5) Real-Time Location

Instead of trying to spam the other person by explaining where you are, WeChat allows users to share their specific locations, which can be seen on a map.

6) Finding new friends

Similar to Snapchat’s Add Nearby, WeChat allows users to find new friends.

Users can shake their phones and will find you someone doing likewise.

Or users can find who is nearby.

If you’re single, WeChat also functions like Tinder and can show male/female only.

Don’t say I never help ok.

7) WeChat Red Envelope

Yes, it’s literally the red envelope you’re thinking of. The thin red paper that you look forward to every CNY.

This is an application that uses the technology of virtual credits and allows users to transfer ‘money’ to each other’s WeChat Pay account.

There are two types of red envelopes- the regular ones used for personal transactions, and the lucky draw type where money is assigned randomly to members of a group chat.

Some generous organisations use the latter one as a business strategy. They invite customers to shake their phones to stand chances to win money.

This is basically bringing receiving money to a whole new level– now you can just shake your phone to win some!

8) WeChat can be used to do anything

And by anything I mean anything.

Users can use this handy application to shop, hail a taxi, play games….the list is endless.

9) WeChat Pay

This is parked under WeChat wallet in the application. It functions just like Apple Pay, where you can tie your card to the app and pay online.

WeChat Pay is accepted in offline stores as well.

Simple and fuss free.

10) Split bills

Honestly this is like the most convenient thing ever. Stop wasting time counting your coins. The Go Dutch app by WeChat helps users to split bills virtually.

Probably a good choice for those of you who are tired of paying for everyone just to hear “Oh I don’t have enough money, can I pay you next time?”

Since you’re here, why not watch a video about an NTU student who went all out to impress his crush, only to end up in…tragedy? Here, watch it and do remember to share it (and also subscribe to Goody Feed YouTube channel)!

This article was first published on goodyfeed.com