Add-on products

Unlike Facebook or Twitter who promote open-APIs for third-party developers to produce add-on applications and features for their platforms, WeChat, QQ and Weibo offer both core functionalities and added features as in-house, proprietary services. This is owing to the trend of Chinese social networks in offering an integral platform to cater for the needs of users, especially in the context of mobile Internet. Therefore, as irrelevant as some may first appear on an SNS, this chapter will explore several adjuncts yet important add-on products developed by platform providers, including mobile games, electronic payment facilities, fitness applications and taxi services. As will be seen, such add-on products have brought vital complimentary benefits in strengthening the core provisions of a platform, as well as enrich the broader functioning of the Chinese SNS ecosystem.