Chapter 1466: WeChat Goes Online

April 1st, April Fool's Day.

At 9 o'clock in the morning, Yuanfang quietly launched a new application called "WeChat" on Wandoujia without any publicity.

Although the name of the pea pod is the same as in the previous life, the pea pod at this time is completely different from the previous life, more like the Teng Xun application treasure in the previous life.

Almost all smart phones launched in China today use pea pods as their application platforms.

Because of Li Dong's advance layout, Peapod has almost become the official application download platform for Android smartphones.

And the Apple App Store, which is popular in later generations, failed to achieve the expected results because of the cooperation between iPhone 3G and China Unicom last time. It has not officially released iPhone 3G in China. Except for a few iPhones brought back from abroad, there are not many in China. user.

Yuanfang did not release the WeChat version on the Apple App Store this time.

Pea pods cover almost all current smartphone users, including those who are still using the Symbian system.

Smartphone systems are not limited to Android and iOS. In fact, whether it is iOS or Android, these two systems have not appeared for a long time.

If Li Dong hadn't been the first to adopt the Android smart system on OPPO mobile phones in China, the Android system would not be popular in China at all, at least there is no hope of becoming the mainstream system of China's smart phone system.

So far, in the global scope, among the smartphone operating systems, the real king is actually the Symbian system.

Li Dong does not need to launch the iOS version, but the Symbian version must be launched.

In addition to OPPO smart phones, most of the smart phones launched by many domestic mobile phone manufacturers still use the Symbian system, unless Li Dong wants to give up these users.

Obviously, Li Dong would not do such a stupid thing.

...

Faraway Building.

At 9:10, WeChat went online for 10 minutes.

data control center.

Zhang Xiaolong was sweating profusely,

Liu Hong's face was also ugly, and he said after a while: "10 minutes, 280 downloads, 247 registered users."

Three-digit numbers, this is the bleakest data among the released products in the past few years.

In the past, even if it was a logistics housekeeper, it was downloaded more than 1,000 times within 10 minutes of being online!

In the previous Weibo applications, because of the large amount of advertising in the early stage, who didn't break 10,000 or even 100,000 as soon as they went online!

Only WeChat, which Li Dong placed high hopes on, was downloaded less than 300 times within 10 minutes of its launch!

Miserable, terrible!

Even the developer, Zhang Xiaolong, was pale and sweaty at this time.

It wasn't because he was afraid of Li Dong's anger, nor because he became the president of the business group that he was afraid of Li Dong's anger.

Rather, he had doubts about the product and his self-confidence was shaken!

10 minutes, even if there is no promotion, pea pods are actually the best promotion, but such data is too bleak.

Compared with the tens of millions of downloads of other products in Yuanfang, WeChat looks so bleak.

After a long time, Zhang Xiaolong said with a little dejection: "Chairman, I..."

He hesitated to speak, a little hard to say.

He really wanted to tell Li Dong to abandon this version, update the new version, and promote the version with voice intercom.

In Zhang Xiaolong's view, voice is the core competitiveness of WeChat.

Now that it has been developed, let's just go online.

With the number of users in the distance, it is not a big problem to increase the promotion efforts and attract tens of millions of users.

Once there are tens of millions of users in the smartphone user group, even if Teng Xun responds, it may not be an opponent in the distance.

Even if Teng Xun followed suit, based on Zhang Xiaolong's understanding of Teng Xun, the other party would not be able to develop the same product within 20 days.

Even if you work overtime, half a month is the limit. No matter how fast it is, the user experience will be absolutely horrible.

He wanted to say it, but Li Dong said before that there was no rush, and the new version was only launched in May, which made him a little confused about what to suggest.

When several people were extremely disappointed, Li Dong smiled and said, "What's the hurry?

In 10 minutes, nearly 300 downloads, which is not bad.

After all, it just appeared, these communication software, in fact, the most difficult thing is the beginning.

The later it gets, the easier it is, just like a snowball, getting bigger and bigger.

300 people, as long as 100 people can persevere, he can bring people around him to join in, including relatives, friends, colleagues, including their PP friends.

Everyone is a relationship chain, and he can drive thousands of people to join.

So I'm not in a hurry, just take my time.

Good things have to be thrown out a little bit.

If you throw out the best one at a time, everyone's appetite will increase, and it will be even more embarrassing if you can't keep up with the updates later.

Now version 1.0 can only import contacts from friends.

Three days later, update the version and add the function of importing PP friends.

In another week, the function of adding friends will be expanded again, and Weibo friends, people nearby, and Shake can all be online.

We gave Teng Xun time to develop it too.

After they have worked so hard to develop and go online, it will be almost May. At that time, we will launch the big killer, the voice intercom version!

Nationwide, get ready for a comprehensive rollout!

On May 1st, I let everyone in the country see WeChat advertisements and know the functions of WeChat. By this time, WeChat should already have a fixed user group.

The user groups accumulated in this month will become the link and pioneer of our promotion!

Through them, we can reap the fruits very quickly, so that Teng Xun has no time to deal with it at all, understand? "

Hearing what he said, several people in the control center breathed a sigh of relief, then Liu Hong frowned and said, "President Li, why don't you just launch the voice version directly..."

Li Dong rolled his eyes and said angrily: "Are you stupid or am I stupid?

How many smartphone users are there now?

Less than 30 million!

And now a large number of smart phone users are added every day, do you know how many new users can be added in a month?

Taking advantage of the opportunity of sending home appliances to the countryside, OPPO has shipped more than 3 million units every month!

Other manufacturers are not bad either. After a month, they can add nearly 10 million new users, understand?

OPPO's exclusive machine was launched in May, and online reservations are now starting. By then, it will be possible to ship more than 3 million units in a day!

Do you know what it means if 30 million copies can be released within a month?

It means that the number of smartphone users can reach more than 70 million at that time, do you understand?

Of course, this is the best case, and it won’t be so fast, but I think it’s okay if it’s more than 60 million.

The user scale has doubled compared to now, and I launched a new version at that time to seize these new users.

Wait for Teng Xun to follow suit, and I have covered more than half of the 60 million users. No matter how he jumps around, he will die.

But it’s different now. Launching it now is equivalent to giving them an extra month. They can’t cover the old users, but they can cover the newly added users.

And when the number of smartphone users reaches 60 million, it should enter a bottleneck period.

This data will not rise indefinitely. China has more than 700 million mobile phone users. In my opinion, smartphone users account for about 10%, and it will enter a short-term bottleneck period.

So before the bottleneck period, we covered these users, and in the next outbreak period, we can sit back and wait for the harvest.

Instead of now, before reaching 5% of the total users, we are eager to launch our ultimate move, so it will be difficult to cover all users in a full range later. "

Several people nodded. Indeed, it was not Teng Xun's follow-up, nor other problems that restricted Yuanfang.

The key lies in the problem of user scale!

If the number of users is too small, even if you have covered them all, there will be more people in the later stage. Once Teng Xun makes efforts, it is very likely that you will ignore the customer base you accumulated in the early stage.

But once the number of users exceeds 50 million, it will be difficult to seize the market no matter how hard you try later.

Just like Vancard in the distance, it launched the scanning function before, which indeed seized most of the user groups in the early stage. Even in the beginning, in the mobile field, the market share was as high as 90%.

But when the number of users increases, Ali is also making efforts. At this time, their old users will choose to return.

At present, in the mobile market, although Onecard still occupies about 60% of the market, Alipay’s market share has also reached about 30%. The gap has narrowed from the previous ten times to twice the current one. The key lies in the new users. group selection problem.

For these people, it doesn't matter which one they choose. Some old users will subconsciously choose Alipay, after all, he has used it.

But if Yuanfang did not launch Wankaka before, but chose to launch it now, the effect would be completely different.

Of course, Li Dong chose to launch it at that time not because he was stupid.

In fact, the WeChat software does not matter, and it is only the plate of the telecom operator that is leveraged.

But Alipay and Wanka, these Internet payment software, are several times or even dozens of times larger than WeChat.

And it's about Internet finance, Li Dong really wants to do it all by himself, he doesn't have such a big appetite, and he doesn't have such a big ability.

Even if he wanted to, the government would not agree.

...

At the same time as Li Dong and the others were talking.

Shenzhen.

Teng Xun headquarters.

Ma Huateng and several senior vice presidents, including some product managers, stared intently at the big screen in the conference room.

On the big screen, what is displayed is the WeChat software, including the analysis of some professionals.

A senior product manager of Teng Xun stood on the stage and said loudly: "WeChat is actually not much different from the current IM software, its functions are very simple, and the user experience is also very rough.

Of course, WeChat is not useless.

It simplifies the bloated system of the current IM software and maximizes the communication function.

It can be said that it is a pure IM tool.

And it has another difference from QQ and PP, and that is its weak relationship chain.

In my opinion, WeChat is not a software launched for a wide range of applications. Its purpose is to connect the social circle around you, reduce the social circle of IM, and make it more life-like.

There is still merit in this point.

If you look at WeChat’s friend import system, you will know that its relationship links are built on the mobile phone address book, and the scope is much narrowed, with the purpose of precise push.

To be honest, I think it is somewhat similar to the mobile Fetion.

Its target group is also the people around it, the group related to itself.

According to the theory of six degrees of separation, the connection of this kind of relationship chain, through acquaintances and people around you, will establish a relationship chain that is stronger and more active.

but……"

The product manager did not completely deny WeChat, and everything has its merits.

But he continued: "However, this kind of social software, in my opinion, is a bit unnecessary.

There is absolutely no need for Yuanfang to develop a new software, they can completely import the address book friend system on the basis of the original PP.

In this way, the functions of PP are also enriched.

As it is now, splitting it up makes me feel a little wasteful.

Of course, the purpose of Yuanfang may be to simplify the communication function so that PP does not appear bloated.

After all, the current mobile phones have limitations, too many functions, too much content, and it is easy to have some difficult problems to solve, and the user experience is not very good.

In fact, our QQ3G has already simplified some functions..."

The product manager was still continuing, and when he finished speaking, Ma Huateng said in a deep voice, "How much threat do you think this software poses to QQ?"

Everyone was silent for a moment, and it was only after a while that someone said: "Actually, in my opinion, WeChat is not enough to pose any threat to us at present.

Judging from the current download volume, we can know that this software did not cause any sensation or influence.

Of course, this is also related to the lack of large-scale promotion in the distance.

Its only innovation is actually the introduction of the address book system. As for the abandonment of other bloated functions, in my opinion, there are good and bad.

Like Yuanfang, unless we develop new software now, otherwise, QQ cannot completely abandon the previous functions. If we really want to abandon it, then it is not QQ.

In addition, WeChat's means of profit are also limited.

It is good to abandon other functions and let customers get a simpler and more extreme experience, but in fact, who is not like this in the beginning of IM software?

Why add new features later?

The key is to launch value-added services to increase our source of income, just like the current WeChat, where is its source of profit?

value-added services?

Advertisement Income?

traffic income?

or something else?

Even in my opinion, WeChat is not as good as Fetion. Of course, the user interface and login method of WeChat are much simpler than Fetion, which has merits.

Yuanfang's products give me the biggest impression of simplicity and convenience.

According to Li Dong, it is a fool's operation, and even illiterates can use it.

WeChat is like this, I think their positioning is not necessarily in text communication, but their picture communication is clear... If this is..."

As the senior vice president spoke, he couldn't help touching his chin and said, "I seemed to think of something just now, but it disappeared in a flash, and I forgot again."

Many times, without precedent, when a fleeting thought occurs in your mind, it is difficult to catch it and remember clearly what the thought was.

The vice president thought of the voice call function just now.

But at this time, at home and abroad, voice calls are still the patent of telecom operators.

VoIP has appeared, but VoIP is actually charged.

The voice call function of WeChat is actually a variant of VoIP, but WeChat converts this voice call fee into a traffic fee.

This is also the reason why Li Dongfei wants to negotiate with the operator to reduce the traffic fee.

Otherwise, the traffic fee formed by each voice is even higher than the phone fee, so it seems a bit tasteless to launch the voice chat function at this time.

The flash of inspiration caused the vice president to fall into a tangle, and he didn't continue talking for a while.

The others waited for a while, seeing that he was still deep in thought, Ma Huateng had no choice but to say: "No matter what, Yuanfang usually doesn't do useless work.

The more low-key Li Dong is, the more dangerous he is.

Although WeChat looks simple, we have not tried this model, nor have we used it for practical application.

What kind of impact it will have and how much impact it will have on us is unknown.

And the unknown is the scariest thing.

The wireless department immediately began to track this project, and we also began to develop IM software for this weak relationship chain.

What others have and what we have, this is the foundation of our invincibility.

To prevent the other party from suddenly becoming bigger, we cannot keep up and cause heavy losses. "

Everyone nodded in agreement. Anyway, when ordinary people launch such a product, they don't necessarily care too much about it.

But since it was made by Li Dong, no matter how rubbish the software is, they have to pay attention to it.

So far, WeChat is not likely to have any impact on QQ.

But Ma Huateng has always felt that Li Dong's goal this year is Teng Xun, and now that the other party has launched a software related to IM, he has to pay attention to it.

...

After the people in the meeting room had left, Ma Huateng lit a cigarette and started smoking.

After a while, Ma Huateng took out his mobile phone and made a call.

The call was not to Li Dong, but to Ma Yun.

As soon as the phone was connected, Ma Huateng said in a deep voice, "Tell me, what does he mean?"

Ma Yun on the opposite side was also a little exhausted at the moment, and breathed out lightly: "It's hard to say, anyway, it's either you or me, but don't worry too much, there's no need to scare yourself.

Maybe, this guy is just waiting for us to mess up ourselves.

When we messed up, that gave him a chance.

At present, we have to stabilize first, as long as we stabilize, is Li Dong really invincible?

I never believed in the existence of invincibility. Humans have weaknesses. As long as you grasp his weaknesses, sooner or later you will give him a fatal blow!

Let him be arrogant for a while first, then let him look good later! "

What Ma Yun said was gnashing his teeth, but Ma Huateng said helplessly: "I also believe that human beings have weaknesses, but his weaknesses are fleeting, and this opportunity is not so easy to seize."

"Then wait! If it doesn't work for one year, it will be two years. If it doesn't work for two years, it will be three years. Don't we even have this patience?"

"That's true, the key..."

Ma Huateng didn't go on, the key point is can we really wait so long?

He is a little less sure about this now.

In fact, none of them lack self-confidence, but compared to Ma Yun, Ma Huateng has a stronger sense of crisis.

No matter how difficult it was for Ali, Ma Yun never thought of conceding and admitting defeat. When Teng Xun encountered a crisis a few years ago, Ma Huateng thought of selling it as a package.

People are people after all, no matter how successful they are, they can't really be indifferent to everything.