WeChat looks even more like an operating system now thanks to Samsung

Now users can open WeChat mini programs directly from the home screen on Samsung handsets

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No need to open WeChat first -- mini programs can now be directly accessed from the home screen of some Samsung phones. (Picture: Tencent)

Published: 12:09am, 23 Aug 2019Updated: 9:12am, 20 Sep 2019

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

Apple’s recent troubles in China have been blamed on many things, but China’s reliance on mini programs inside WeChat -- and not exclusive apps only found on the iOS App Store -- is one major factor. And now WeChat could become even more powerful, thanks to a fresh tie-up with the world’s biggest smartphone brand.

New Samsung handset models sold in China will give users direct access to WeChat’s in-app mini programs without having to open WeChat first. Users can swipe right on the phone’s home screen to find their five most recently used mini programs. Or they can swipe left from the edge of the display to see their 10 favorite mini programs. Tapping an icon will bring up the mini program.

Mini Programs: The apps inside apps that make WeChat so powerful

Since their launch in 2017, mini programs have become a key part of WeChat. These “apps within an app” are no bigger than 10MB each, so they can download and install almost instantly inside WeChat. And like any normal app, they can perform any number of different functions, including hailing a cab, playing games or ordering food online.

Together, mini programs allow WeChat to combine the functions of many apps into just one. As Stratechery’s Ben Thompson wrote, WeChat pretty much becomes your smartphone: The app alone does many of the things you’d expect from an entire phone operating system.

And since WeChat is the same whether you’re on iOS or Android, it’s one reason why China is the one place where people are more likely to freely switch between iPhones and Android phones.

With the new Samsung partnership, WeChat gives users even more direct access to its ecosystem. People can now open a WeChat mini program from the phone’s home screen just like they would any other app.