After a year of waiting, the mini program finally unveiled its mystery in the early morning of January 9, 2017 and officially launched.
WeChat mini program promotion poster
With the official launch of the mini program, users can now experience the mini program developed by developers through QR codes, searches, etc.
As long as users update WeChat to the latest version, after experiencing the mini program, they can see the mini program TAB on the discovery page, but WeChat will not recommend mini programs to users through this place.
It is worth mentioning that the mini program provides the function to display at the top of the chat, which means that users can quickly return to the chat interface while using the mini program, and can also quickly enter the mini program in the chat interface, realizing convenient switching between the mini program and chat.
Location of WeChat applet display
The applets that users have used will be presented in the applet TAB in a list.
Mini Program List
As mentioned by the WeChat team before, the mini program can be shared with the conversation.
"Selected Stocks" mini program sharing display
Android version users can also add shortcuts to the desktop.
Judging from the trial results, the mini program runs smoothly overall, and developers are also very enthusiastic about mini programs. For example, Maoyan Movie provides a mini program experience package.
After experiencing several mini programs such as self-selected stocks, Meituan Takeout, Maoyan Movies, and Didi Bus Query, you can feel that the developers have retained the most core functions of the APP in the mini program and abandoned some functions.
For example, Didi Chuxing mini program only retains the ride-hailing function, while the map, travel method selection, user interface, mall and other functions in the APP have been abandoned.
Didi Chuxing mini program interface
The self-selected stock mini program has made relatively more reservations about the functions of the APP, and has only abandoned "information" as an independent sector, but retained the three main functional sectors of self-select, market conditions, and settings. It also provides functions such as stock price reminders that are consistent with those in the APP to share specific stock pages. Friends click to view real-time stock price information, and the experience is very complete.
The left is the self-selected stock mini program interface, and the right is the self-selected stock APP interface
The official account association function mentioned by the WeChat team has been reflected in the current official account homepage.
On the homepage of the official account where the mini program has been developed, you can see the mini program developed by the main body, and click to enter the corresponding mini program. Since it is under the same account system, the followers of the public account can convert them into users of the mini program at a lower cost.
The left is the official account introduction page; the right is the mini program developed by the main body of the official account
For some teams that are interested in productizing official accounts, the mini program and its connection with official accounts will greatly save development costs and traffic diversion costs. It also provides good content productization tools for content entrepreneurs.
Based on the experience and the introduction of the WeChat team, the rules of the mini program are already clear.
Functions not provided by WeChat applets
1. The mini program does not have a centralized portal on WeChat.
2. WeChat will not launch a mini program store, nor will it recommend mini programs to users.
3. The mini program has no subscription relationship, no fans, only access, only visits.
4. The mini program cannot push messages.
5. Mini programs cannot make games.
Functions provided by WeChat applets
1. Provide the concept of mini program page: supports sharing current information, such as sharing 00700 stock page. When friends open it, they see real-time information of 00700 stocks, without starting the mini program again.
2. Dialogue sharing: You can share it to dialogue and support sharing with individual friends and WeChat groups.
3. Search and search: Mini programs can be searched, but WeChat will try its best to limit the search capabilities. The search function currently provided is that users can directly search for mini programs based on their name or brand. .
4. Official account association: Provide the connection between the mini program and the WeChat official account under the premise that the mini program and the official account are the same development subject.
5. Scan the code offline: Provide offline functions to prompt users about which mini programs exist nearby. Users can use it by scanning the code offline, which is also the access method advocated by WeChat.
6. Mini program switching: Mini program supports suspended state, that is, the concept of multi-windows. Users can suspend the mini program first and then do other things. When they need this mini program, they can quickly call it back to the initial state.
7. Message notification: Merchants can send template messages to users who have received services. Users can contact customer service within the mini program to support text and pictures to solve communication problems between users and mini program.
8. History list: The mini program that users have used will be put into the list for the convenience of next use.
What will mini programs bring
Out of the idea of obtaining the initial traffic dividend, the outside world is eagerly looking forward to mini programs. However, in a public speech at WeChat public class on December 28, 2016, Zhang Xiaolong gave an answer that might disappoint some people.
"Many people saw that WeChat started to test the mini program internally and said that they should get some traffic bonuses, but that's a pity. There is actually no entrance to the official account in WeChat, and the same is true for mini programs."
Making such an arrangement is related to Zhang Xiaolong's ability to bear for the mini program, and what abilities should be borne by the mini program is based on Zhang Xiaolong's thinking on the future online world.
In the one and a half hour speech on the PRO version of WeChat Open Class, Zhang Xiaolong spent most of his time explaining what the next stop of the mobile Internet is, the characteristics and positioning of the mini program, and the reasons for developing mini programs, rather than simply telling everyone: what are the rules of mini programs and how you should make mini programs.
In Zhang Xiaolong's view, the next stop of the mobile Internet is "at your fingertips".
"We imagine that in such a virtual future smart glasses, you will find that the application has a completely different form, which is different from the application form in mobile phones. It is a real form of what you see is what you get. What I say is what you see is what you get is different from what we see in the PC era. In the drawing or UI, we say that any specific thing we see contains its information and the processing of the information is in it."
Zhang Xiaolong said that this is his hope for the future application form: it is everywhere and accessible at any time.
In fact, this concept can also be reflected in the function settings of WeChat mini programs, such as supporting offline functions that prompt users what mini programs exist nearby, and through the QR code entrance, the boundary between mini programs and offline services is opened. Through offline QR codes, the vision of applications being ubiquitous.
The well-known IT commentator Hong Bo (Weibo) believes that the entrance to the mini program is not in WeChat, but in real life, such as the hospital registration mini program is in the hospital. WeChat will truly achieve the goal of "one lifestyle", disperse different entrances into different life scenarios, expand the boundaries of WeChat's parent program, and make WeChat's imagination space larger and wider.
The birth timeline of WeChat mini program
1. On January 9, 2016, at an internal meeting of the WeChat team, the WeChat team proposed the idea of "application number" for the first time.
A group photo of the WeChat team discussing "application number" internally
2. On January 11, 2016, in the 2016 WeChat Open Class PRO version, Zhang Xiaolong unexpectedly appeared and delivered a speech, saying that WeChat’s original intention was to be a platform for providing services, so the WeChat team specially opened a service account, but the service account mainly provides services, and based on a demand, the effect is not ideal. Therefore, "we will develop a new form called an application account."
Zhang Xiaolong unexpectedly appeared on the 2016 WeChat Open Class PRO version and announced for the first time that he would develop an application number
3. In the early morning of September 22, 2016, the WeChat public platform began to send invitations to the internal test of mini programs. The mini program is the WeChat "application account" that has been widely watched by the outside world. The first batch of internal testing places are about 200.
Invitation letter for internal testing of WeChat applets
4. At the same time, Zhang Xiaolong disclosed his definition of a mini program in his circle of friends: a mini program is an application that does not require downloading and installation. It realizes the dream of an application within reach. Users can scan or search to open the application. It also reflects the concept of leaving after use, and users don’t have to worry about whether they install too many applications. The app will be everywhere and ready to be available, but there is no need to install and uninstall. ”
Screenshot of Zhang Xiaolong's circle of friends
5. On the evening of November 3, 2016, the WeChat team announced that the WeChat mini program will be open for public beta, and developers can log in to the WeChat public platform to apply. After the development is completed, they can submit for review. It cannot be released during the public beta.
Mini Program Open Public Beta Page
6. On December 28, 2016, in Guangzhou Asian Games City, in the 2017 WeChat Open Class, Zhang Xiaolong appeared again to give a speech, answering several major doubts about the mini program, including no store, no WeChat portal, and the inability to push messages. Zhang Xiaolong also revealed that he hoped that the mini program would be "used by users on January 9, 2017."
Zhang Xiaolong introduced the rules of mini program on the 2017 WeChat Open Class PRO version
7. On December 30, 2016, the WeChat public platform issued an announcement stating that in order to facilitate offline promotion of merchants, the mini program QR code can be launched, and up to 10,000 QR codes with parameters can be generated.
8. In the early morning of January 9, 2017, the WeChat mini program was officially launched.
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