Free Global Calling for Thanksgiving – WeChat Out Limited-Time Offer

In celebration of Thanksgiving, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to you, our users.  Starting today, WeChat users outside China will receive one week of free global calling on WeChat Out!

 

That’s right. As you are enjoying your delicious Thanksgiving meal, share your thanks by calling loved ones in more than 100 countries and regions – absolutely free.

WeChat Out Thanksgiving Offer

Consider this our way of saying thanks! Simply tap the “Discover” tab on your WeChat menu bar  > click “WeChat Out” to access the feature.

 

The holiday season is a time to reconnect with friends and family to express gratitude. Be sure to participate in our holiday offer valid November 24, 2016 – November 30, 2016.

 

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us on team WeChat!

Now Available: WeChat for Mac 2.0

Have you checked out our latest WeChat for Mac update?

 

Version 2.0 includes a new sleek interface, ability to share all your favorite downloaded stickers and more.

 

What’s New in Version 2.0.1?

  • Sleek and optimized user interface
  • View Favorites straight from your desktop, including saved photos and links
  • Send all your favorite custom and downloaded stickers
  • Enjoy quicker login
  • Seamlessly toggle between devices as 2.0 now retains your chat history

Be sure to upgrade today to experience all the new features!

9 Ways WeChat Can Improve Your Day

Through stop-motion animation, our new video, “One Day with WeChat,”  captures how WeChat integrates into the everyday lives of our users in China. For these users, WeChat is not only an app, but a lifestyle, a new way to connect and interact with their world.

So how exactly does WeChat in China, known as Weixin, make the lives of our users easier? Follow our video to see how people utilize the app at any time of the day.

 

1. Wake up in the morning and check out social updates in Moments

WeChat Moments

Read More 9 Ways WeChat Can Improve Your Day >>

“Invite Friends, Get Free Calls” with Latest Release of WeChat Out Globally

WeChat users in 12 countries including the United States, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Italy, Thailand and India can now use WeChat Out to make calls to mobile phones and landlines in over 200 countries for nominal rates. WeChat Out is the latest milestone offering of the world’s fastest growing social app with 762 million monthly active users around the world.

 

New WeChat Out users will receive more than an hour* of free calling credit. And all users can earn even more rewards by participating in our “Invite Friends, Get Free Calls” campaign.

 

One Click to a Free Call

“Invite Friends, Get Free Calls” is simple – the more you give, the more you get.

WeChat Out

1. After upgrading your app version, enter the event screen and tap “Invite Friends, Get Free Calls”

2. Share WeChat Out gift cards with friends

3. Once your friends redeem their gift card and make a call, you’ll receive one too for the same amount you gave. View all your gift cards under My Coupons.

Read More “Invite Friends, Get Free Calls” with Latest Release of WeChat Out Globally >>

WeChat for Windows 2.1 – Now with Free Group Voice and Video Calling

Sometimes you just can’t replace a call or face-to-face chat with friends, whether it be on your mobile or desktop. That’s why in our latest version of WeChat for Windows, we are introducing group voice and video calls now available directly from your PC via WeChat!

 

Be sure to upgrade now to WeChat for Windows 2.1 to get started and check out all the latest updates.

A computer flat wide screen isolated on white background

What’s New in WeChat for Windows 2.1? 

1. Place voice and video calls within group chats

2. Send files 4 times as large with the new files size limit increase from 25 MB to now 100MB!

3. Experience the newly designed look of your chat bubbles

4. Enjoy improvements to the embedded browser for a better user experience.

 

“WeChat Out” VOIP Feature Now Rapidly Expanding Around the World

In January, we launched “WeChat Out,” a breakthrough VOIP feature allowing users to make low-rate calls to mobile phones and landlines around the globe via WeChat.

 

After receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from our initial rollout in the United States, India, and Hong Kong, we are excited to announce the official launch of the feature in Thailand, Laos, Macau and Italy. This brings the total countries and regions where WeChat Out is available to seven.

 

If you are in one of the countries WeChat Out is now available, be sure to update to the latest version and start calling. WeChat will provide free call credit and discounts for you!

 

What is “WeChat Out”?

“WeChat Out” is a new feature in WeChat that enables calls to landline or mobile phones. Using WeChat Out, users can easily make affordable and high-quality calls from anywhere in the world to anywhere else.

 

WeChat Out is easy-to-use. Just update to the latest version of the app and navigate to the “Discover” screen to find the new WeChat Out feature. Tap “WeChat Out” and WeChat will show your address book, a dial pad, and your WeChat Out call history. Now placing a call via WeChat is as easy as dialing a few numbers.

WeChat

Read More “WeChat Out” VOIP Feature Now Rapidly Expanding Around the World >>

Frog and Horse are Back in Action!

FrogandHorse BannerFrog and Horse, the quirky duo, are making their third appearance on WeChat with the new Frog and Horse 3 sticker pack.

 

Since the introduction of their first sticker set, the two have risen to stardom amongst WeChat users and are ready to show off their best dance moves yet. This time, disco-style.

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You haven’t seen anything, if you haven’t witnessed Frog’s body rolls, Horse’s batusi or the pair’s synchronized hair flips. The set features 24 hip shaking stickers that will get you in the mood to party like a rockstar.

 

Be sure to download them today in your WeChat sticker gallery!

New Data Revealed – Spring Festival 2016 on WeChat

WeChat Red Packets

Lunar New Year is known as China’s largest holiday. This year was no exception as people in Asia and all around the world ushered in the year of the monkey with WeChat.

 

Through WeChat, users participated in the holiday’s time honored traditions in new and fun ways.

 

Red Packets or Lucky Money are gift envelopes stuffed with cash typically exchanged between family and friends. Through WeChat Red Packets, users were able to instead give digital cash in the form of communication. On this Lunar New Year’s Eve alone, over 8 billion Red Packets were sent and received by 420 millions users. This represented eight times more than last year’s holiday.

 

Read the full “Spring Festival 2016 on WeChat” white paper and learn exactly how WeChat helped family and friends connect this year:  CLICK HERE

WeChat South Africa Helps Set World Record in Cape Town

WeChat, in partnership with the Virgin Kitesurfing Armada South Africa 2016, celebrated as 416 kite surfers set a new World Record for ‘The Largest Parade of Kitesurfers’ in South Africa at the Dolphin Beach in Cape Town. In addition to the new World Record, R100 000 was raised for charity on the day.

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Brett Loubser, Head of WeChat South Africa said, “We believe that technology can enable everyone to achieve their goals. As an organization committed to connecting friends and families, we are pleased that our technology could be used to connect these communities and to also support them in the achievement of their dreams”

 

Read More WeChat South Africa Helps Set World Record in Cape Town >>

Hong Kong WeChat Users Can Now Send Red Packets for Chinese New Year

This Chinese New Year, Hong Kong WeChat users for the first time can spread the joy of giving and receiving Lai See even further with WeChat’s new Red Packet feature. Regardless of how far apart you are from loved ones, no one will have to miss out as we welcome in the year of the Monkey.

 

Giving & Receiving Red Packets Like a Pro

Aside from just giving set amounts, you can also test the luck of your friends and family through the WeChat Red Packet game! Simply choose a lump sum to send to your chat group and let WeChat randomly assign an amount of money to put in each of your designated Red Packets. Your group will have to be quick-fingered to get your good wishes. Test their luck by grabbing Red Packets like a pro with these tips:

 

1. Have Your WeChat Wallet Ready

Make sure you download or update to the latest version of WeChat and activate your WeChat Wallet to save the Packet money sent to you. Simply connect your Hong Kong credit card (MasterCard or Visa) with your WeChat Pay account to set a 6-digit pin code, and you are ready to start grabbing Red Packets!

Read More Hong Kong WeChat Users Can Now Send Red Packets for Chinese New Year >>

We Chat About WeChat #5: Red Packets – WeChat’s Secret Weapon in Payments

WeChat Red Packets

Career opportunities at WeChat: wechat.com/en/careers.html

 

Tens of millions of users send Red Packets (formerly called “Lucky Money” or “Red Envelopes”) stuffed with digital cash to each other every day on WeChat. What is this amazing mobile payments product and how did it get so popular? Learn how WeChat transformed person-to-person payments into a form of communication.

We speak with Stephen Wang, senior product manager at WeChat and Siyu Xiao, the product manager responsible for the most recent redesign of the Red Packets product.

 

As a follow up to the podcast, in Spring Festival 2015 (February 2015), WeChat delivered over 1 billion Red Packets. Less than one year later during New Year 2016 (January 1, 2016), WeChat users sent each other over 2.3 billion Red Packets.

 

Read More We Chat About WeChat #5: Red Packets – WeChat’s Secret Weapon in Payments >>

We Turned Five Today!

WeChat 5 Years

Today marks a half a decade since WeChat was first introduced. It has been an amazing journey and evolution to now 650M monthly active users around the world.

 

We would like to take this time to say “Thank You” to all our users. You make WeChat what it is today. Look forward to continuing to serve you and your lifestyle.

 

Best,

WeChat Team

 

Caesars Entertainment Showcases WeChat Robot Using ObEN’s Humanized A.I.

Caesars Entertainment WeChat Robot2

Caesars Entertainment introduces “Ben” the WeChat Robot – a virtual concierge – using ObEN’s proprietary speech technology at The LINQ Hotel located at the center of the Las Vegas Strip during the annual Consumer Electronics Show from Jan. 6-9.

 

ObEN, an artificial intelligence (A.I.) company based in Pasadena, Calif., has developed a proprietary deep-learning based speech technology that permits any Internet of Things such as WeChat Robots to communicate in any language and in any voice in a matter of minutes.

 

During CES, visitors and guests of The LINQ Hotel will have the opportunity to converse with “Ben” the WeChat Robot from 7-11 a.m. and 4-8 p.m. on Jan. 6-9 through the WeChat app using an Internet of Things (IoT) platform developed by ObEN. To physically interact with “Ben,” guests at the hotel can use the touchscreen on the robot to obtain information on nearby dining, entertainment and nightlife options. Guests can also send a message to the robot by following Caesars Entertainment on WeChat, and “Ben” will speak back to them on-site in real time. Additionally, guests can scan Caesars Entertainment’s WeChat QR code anytime during Jan. 6-9 to engage with the virtual concierge from anywhere and receive information about the wide variety of experiences Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas resorts offer.

Read More Caesars Entertainment Showcases WeChat Robot Using ObEN’s Humanized A.I. >>