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WeChat comes to the desktop with the launch of a native Mac client; Windows is likely to be next
Feb28
on February 28, 2014
at 5:34 am
There’s now an additional way for users of popular messaging service WeChat to communicate — via a newly-launched native desktop Mac client. Announced on its official Weibo account, the WeChat Mac client is available in both English and Chinese and brings the WeChat interface into a setting optimized for the Mac desktop. You need to have Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) or above to install the client.
A Web version of WeChat has already been available for users to chat on their PCs — all you have to do is scan a QR code to sync your mobile version to the browser — but this is the first time a native desktop client has been introduced. Other than providing more options for users and making it easier to chat across platforms, WeChat’s move brings it closer in line with its fierce rival, Japanese messaging app Line, which already has desktop clients for both Mac and Windows users.
Windows users of WeChat have to wait for their turn though — despite the company declining to comment on its future plans, a WeChat Windows client is expected to land at some point in the future.
Hulu parts ways with its Japanese business, selling it to Nippon TV
Feb28
on February 28, 2014
at 2:54 am
Hulu launched in Japan just under three years ago, and now the company is parting ways with its business there.
In a blog post (via GigaOm), Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins says that Hulu has ”reached a point in the growth of the business in Japan where we feel the best path forward is to sell the company to a strategic buyer.” Nippon TV, a television network in Japan, will be acquiring the video streaming service’s operations in the country — for an undisclosed amount.
Hopkins notes that Hulu is now accessible across more than 90 million devices in the Japanese market and includes content from 50 partners, totaling more than 13,000 TV dramas, anime programs and movies.
The Hulu brand will still stay on in Japan though. Going forward, Hulu will be licensing its brand and technology and continue to provide services to the Japan business — which technically wouldn’t mean much change on the part of users.
➤ An International Update From Hulu in Japan [Blog Post]
Thumbnail image via Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP/Getty Images
Google has finally taken steps to super-charge its Hangouts app with new features, catching up with many of the messaging apps out there that have added a ton of features including stickers.
A bunch of rich emoticon-like stickers have landed on Google Hangouts for iOS in a new update rolled out today. What’s more, Google has also introduced Vine-like short video messages which you can send to your friends in place of photos, for example. You get to record videos up to 10 seconds long and send them to your friends, after which they will play in a loop automatically within your chat.
The new version of Hangouts for iOS also features location sharing now, and is optimized for the iPad, thus including picture-in-picture video calling and a two-pane conversation view.
Google has already relaxed Android settings to enable users to replace the central SMS system with Hangouts, but its move to introduce new features — even on iOS — could appeal to more users.
We previously noted given the importance of messaging services in the mobile ecosystem now, considering the $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook, Google could consider super-charging its Hangouts app. This could include tighter synergies between its mobile apps and Hangouts, or the addition of games, stickers and other services that are proving popular in Asia with the likes of Line and WeChat.
➤ Google Hangouts: iOS
Read – After missing out on WhatsApp, what does Google do next?
Headline image via Justin Sullivan/Getty Images