During the recent Lunar New Year celebration, China saw a familiar set of apps dominating the digital landscape. Giants like Tencent and ByteDance led the charge, capturing the attention and data usage of millions. As families gathered and friends reconnected, platforms such as Douyin (TikTok‘s Chinese counterpart), WeChat, Kuaishou, Tencent Video, and Jinri Toutiao became essential tools for communication and entertainment.
The apps accounted for over three-quarters of the mobile data traffic
These apps weren’t just popular; they were pivotal, accounting for over three-quarters of the mobile data traffic during the nine-day holiday. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) highlighted this trend, marking the first time it has released such rankings for the Lunar New Year period.
Tencent and ByteDance, with two entries each in the top five, showed their continued dominance in the market. Most of these platforms have been around for a decade or more, proving that established names still hold sway in China’s tech-savvy society. Douyin, the youngest among them, has quickly risen to prominence since its launch nearly eight years ago.
Interestingly, this year’s report contrasted with previous years’ trends, such as the surge in digital red packet transactions via Alipay in 2021 and JD.com’s significant sales growth in 2019. These shifts underscore the evolving digital habits of Chinese consumers.
Experts note the challenge of introducing breakthrough apps in a market crowded with seasoned players. Yet, the potential for innovation remains, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and extended reality technologies.
Amid these trends, apps are evolving. WeChat expands into short videos, while Douyin ambitiously eyes e-commerce growth, targeting a significant increase in its online shopping channel’s gross merchandise volume (GMV). This strategy includes competing on price, directly challenging platforms like Pinduoduo, known for their budget-friendly offerings.
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(Via)
