Watch out WhatsApp: WeChat users send 38 billion messages daily

Image: Flickr/Alvaro Ibanez

The messaging platform's on track for total world domination

According to an official report released by Tencent Holdings last Thursday, WeChat users are sending out a staggering 38 billion messages every day. Compared to just a year ago, that's an increase of 25 percent, further narrowing the gap between WhatsApp's daily output of 55 billion messages.

It's not just texting that WeChat users are proficient in, with the annual report noting that Chatty Cathys are making 205 million video and voice calls per day, while also sending a whopping 6.1 billion voice messages (because why actually have a conversation when you can just leave a voice memo?).



Improvements to internet connectivity and data limits are credited with the jump in messaging and calling, while the multi-functional nature of the all-in-one app, such as payment and publishing features, have caused the number of WeChat users to leap from 889 million to 963 million this year. Of the total amount of users, 50 million of them are aged 55 to 70 – can't keep pensioners off their phones these days.

For those of us living in China, the reliance on the social messaging app is indisputable, with these stats merely pointing out what we already knew: WeChat's an integral part of China's social fabric. Beyond individual users, the report also referenced 3.5 million official accounts (including yours truly) presently being used by brands, media outlets and celebs to communicate with WeChat users. And with 797 million users actively browsing through their content, we'd say it all makes sense.

Could you go without WeChat for one week? To read about our smart phone WeTox, hit 'Read more'.

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