WeChat's rolled out a few new updates: Here's what to expect

A few losses, a few gains

Looks like WeChat’s getting quite a few upgrades. TechNode reports that WeChat recently added three new features to its platform, apparently in a bid to compete with the user engagement abilities of ByteDance (owner of short-video platform Tik Tok).

The first feature is simple: an improved search engine. WeChat’s updated search function now allows you to filter your search by type, including Moments, articles, official accounts, mini-programs, and more.

In addition, it has also dropped the limit for the number of friends you can add, which was capped at 5,000 previously. However the catch is, WeChat will make the Moments of users who have hit the 5,000-mark inaccessible to new contacts they add, perhaps to keep those who take it too far from cluttering up everyone's newsfeed.

Another adjustment is the integration of WeChat mini-programs into other Tencent apps like Weishi, a video-sharing app akin to Vine. If a product appears in a Weishi video, for example, now an e-commerce link will appear that can direct you to a mini-program store selling that product. Pretty nifty.

The last update you may begin to see is the addition of ‘Related Articles’ at the end of certain posts from official accounts. The change hasn’t yet taken place across the entire platform, though, and recommended readings are currently the same for all readers, so the app still has a way to go in the AI department before users get more personalised suggestions. 

For more WeChat hacks, click here for our graphic guide here. 

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